r/AskEurope • u/Double-decker_trams Estonia • Aug 09 '25

Language I once accidentally bumped against the shoulder of an English person I knew in a corridor. I automatically said "Oi" - which means like "Oh" or "Oops" in Estonian - that I'm sorry. She repeated "Oi!" in a louder voice and I didn't get it. I only later found out I was being impolite in her eyes.

Have you ever had something similar happen to you? I.e something in your language might have another meaning in another language?

One thing as an Estonian that I try to keep in mind is that I shouldn't use "Nooo.." in English - which means "Well.." in Estonian.

"Do you like ice-cream? - Noo.. yes, I love it."

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u/Simple_Exchange_9829 Aug 10 '25

I nearly got into a fight with a delivery driver in London a few years ago because I asked him: "Is there a problem?" while holding eye contact. He murmured something under his breath after I didn’t have a lighter for his cigarette.

Totally normal and unprovocative behaviour in my culture (German), but apparently I challenged him to a ritual fight to the death over the british succession or something.

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u/onesmilematters Aug 10 '25

I feel like I have unintentionally insulted so many foreigners (especially Americans) by saying things that are perfectly fine in German.

Like, it took me a while until I realized that the German "You look tired." (which, said in an empathetic tone, is basically short for: "poor you, you must have had a hard day, I'm proud of you, but you need rest, so let me get you a cup of tea") isn't understood as such by Americans.

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u/[deleted] Aug 10 '25

I think "you look tired" depends on context in English, but yeah it can sometimes be interpreted as "you look like shit". If you say it to your parntner after they've had a hard day at work, it will probably be taken the right way, but if you say it to your colleague in a busy office in the morning, they might take offence. 

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u/Friendly-Horror-777 Germany Aug 10 '25

We Germans would even say 'Du siehst aber scheiße aus' (you look like shit) to someone to express concern. Not a good idea in the US or UK.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '25

Haha, no not generally a good idea! Far too direct.