ADVERTISEMENT

The United States—the land of the free. The home of the brave. And the nation of some very peculiar habits, according to the internet. Other countries in the world are confused by some of the things that Americans do. Like calling tuna “tuna fish” and putting too much cheese on everything. I find it endearing, others find it strange.

Bored Panda has collected some of the best tweets that show how confused foreigners are at what some Americans do. Scroll down and upvote your faves. And be sure to check out our previous post about Europeans who shared what problems are too American for them to grasp.

Culture clashes are nothing new. After all, if every country and culture were the same, there’d be no point in leaving your home, right? (Spoiler warning: due to the coronavirus pandemic, you shouldn’t be leaving your home either way.) Benny Lewis, founder of the Fluent in 3 Months blog, spent 4 years living in the US and has some gripes about the culture. Including how Americans are too politically correct while at the same time they think that everything is “awesome.”

#1

Things-Americans-Do

hesthehabit Report

Add photo comments
POST
rjgardneruk avatar
European other
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It makes sense to start with the day, but I guess it's what you get used to

View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

Things-Americans-Do

Montberte Report

Add photo comments
POST
mdiffen2 avatar
Prince Maroochy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We choose from a lot more at first, eventually narrowing it down to two and choosing from them.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

According to Benny from Ireland, Europeans traveling around the US will find a lot of things weird. Like the fact that Americans smile way too much and it’s difficult to know when they mean it and when they’re smiling out of reflex.

Another thing that Benny found very unusual is something a lot of people complain about when they arrive in the US. Yup, you guessed it—tipping! “I really think tipping as a means of waitresses and others earning the vast majority of their living is ridiculous. If I have to pay, say 15% anyway, then include it in the bill! It's not a bloody tip if it's mandatory!” Benny expressed his opinion. Some of us can agree that mandatory tipping is sneaky and that servers should earn a decent wage that isn’t based on tips.

“Why not tip everyone who you interact with in some way—bus drivers, or leave money on your trash can for the garbage man? It's inconsistent, and waiters, hairdressers, and taxi drivers should just charge us what needs to be charged,” Benny writes in his blog.

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

Things-Americans-Do

HoGritz Report

Add photo comments
POST
kaisu-reinikainen avatar
Kaisu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This also goes for strict gun laws. Why do Americans think strict gun laws won't work in their country when it works in literally all other developed countries?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

Things-Americans-Do

Scarlet4UrMa Report

Add photo comments
POST
subwoofer45 avatar
Thomas brennan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an irish person I dont mind it, it is nice for people to be proud of their heritage. What I do mind is when they ask do I know paddy mcsomething from donegal. I know Ireland's small but we don't all live in one village. Oh and the accent impersonations are damn annoying...although in my experience the English are the worst for imitating accents.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

Things-Americans-Do

yungkatelynne Report

Add photo comments
POST
alangreen avatar
Alan Green
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The other day when they announced America now has the highest C19 infections of any country an american in the comments said "BS, I'm sure Europe has more". Seems some Americans think Europe is a country.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

He also has issues with how in some parts of America prices aren’t what they seem because the tax isn’t included to make the cost seem lower than it really is.

Of course, taxing is different in different states, but this doesn’t excuse corporations from printing up different product costs for each state. Or, as Benny puts it, “We have the same product sold across many European countries and somehow someone in the company found the time to punch numbers into a $1 calculator in advance to tell people how much they are actually paying.”

#7

Things-Americans-Do

wiIIjem Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why was fahrenheit even invented? The metric system just makes so much more sense. Freezing point is 0C and boiling point is 100C. A litre is 1000millilitres, 100 centimetres is 1 metre etc.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

Things-Americans-Do

ASXPJESSICA Report

Add photo comments
POST
miss-hoodoo avatar
Petra Schaap
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

thats not just American. I think it depends on the person. I have local friends who do and local friends who dont, and American friends who do and dont.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Things-Americans-Do

SummerSongGirl Report

Add photo comments
POST
grasshopper1123 avatar
Just Carmen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know about other Americans, but at our house, we just call it TUNA.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

But before you start thinking that all Europeans have it out for the US, Benny also mentions some awesome things about Americans. For example, nobody can deny that Americans have an incredible work ethic and how open-minded and diverse most of the country is. It’s a country with plenty of positives, peppered with a whole lot of bizarreness.

#10

Things-Americans-Do

_ElizabethMay Report

Add photo comments
POST
cnbayler avatar
Colin Bayler
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because you don't need a bloody scale to measure grams. All you need is a simple cup with lines. DUH!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

Things-Americans-Do

candacekendall_ Report

Add photo comments
POST
grasshopper1123 avatar
Just Carmen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well actually, most of the time we say that we don't give a s**t, so.....

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

Things-Americans-Do

ZakAbel Report

Add photo comments
POST
stimpy avatar
Stimpy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I tried changing it to "the poopery" but people won't listen to me

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Things-Americans-Do

valentinavoight Report

Add photo comments
POST
ltjlcd avatar
Carol Lewis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think that, nor have I ever thought that. I don't know anyone who does. Where did you even come up with that nonsense.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

Things-Americans-Do

cutehomelessboy Report

Add photo comments
POST
metteshe avatar
Mette Olsen Douglas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think I know anybody who lives like they have free healthcare - quite the opposite actually. "Is it truly bad enough to go see a doctor or can we survive without going"? Nobody want those bills that follows a doctors visit!!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

Things-Americans-Do

javi_draws Report

Add photo comments
POST
kaisu-reinikainen avatar
Kaisu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some Americans also love making fun of people who speak English with a foreign accent, when they themselves can only speak one language

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

Things-Americans-Do

greasybananna Report

Add photo comments
POST
theosidoruk avatar
Brick
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anything to not use the metric system whats next: glazed donuts per bald eagle who knows

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

Things-Americans-Do

imwafflingg Report

Add photo comments
POST
typeyourtexthere avatar
Winston Smith
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hear it said at least 3 different ways depending on what news channel you watch

sidewinderscott2 avatar
Scott Lloyd
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is funny. So when does the new I-RAQ and I-RAN come out.

thehopkinsbunch avatar
david_arnold avatar
David Arnold
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who does this?? I've never heard it pronounced that way and I'm from Texas.

anderlou69 avatar
Uchman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

C'mon you can't be serious. George W Bush every single time and he was your governor too!

Load More Replies...
bunaalkhas avatar
Buna Alkhas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

LOL Apple product!! i-Ran I teach English in Iran and am fighting a losing battle. My students have seen American films, TV and News and they think it is the American pronunciation. All I can say is that Americans are all i-diots.

rageracer avatar
Rage Racer
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do people from Germany call it Deutschland and everyone else calls it Germany?

rolfen avatar
Rolfen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We call it Deutschland because that's just the way we always said it. Roman authors mentioned tribes called 'Germani', and the land as Germania, so I guess their Latin was eventually translated to English, and that's it.

Load More Replies...
snorincats avatar
Kathy Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have always pronounced it like “ear-rock”. That is the correct pronunciation, isn’t it? Then again, the ones who pronounce it “eye-rack” probably also call people from Italy “eye-tal-yuns”, so...

artcat742 avatar
Kori K. Warriner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Clueless as to what this question even refers to....context please?

chimesstreet avatar
Tabitha L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. That may be a regional accent thing. Not a universal American thing.

sammyanne1_sh avatar
Helen Haley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Part hubris and part xenophobia. We learned to pronounce it from generals etc on tv pronouncing it that way. It's like when a jealous guy keeps saying your boyfriends name wrong on purpose. They think they're somehow denigrating the person, when in reality they just look stupid. Sadly, it has entered the common lexicon mispronounced and has mostly stayed that way.

cblack avatar
C Black
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We don't live there. We pronounce it differently because we hear others pronouncing it differently. It truly doesn't matter. Everyone knows what people are speaking about no matter how they pronounce it. I personally say it "ear ROCK" with the accent on "rock," but I am sure that is incorrect to some, as well.

pratap_wolverine avatar
TropicalPanda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is the most annoying thing.. and also they sound like they are imitating dog's barking

flyingkneedrop avatar
Timothy Fisher
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've only head it pronounced two ways, "Eye rack" and "Eye rock". What do you use?

breezbrown avatar
Breez Brown
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It isnt AMERICANS it is White Americans like of Irish Scottish and English decent. Those of us whose families come from a Non English speaking country( Italy France etc) Say it correctly. Why do dumb a*s throw a small group of people in with a whole country!

elizabeth_gardner925 avatar
Elizabeth Gardner
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eye Rack is how the pronounce it because they do not use the long A just the short A and the I has to be pronounced as such not just "i".

lramsdell avatar
Lorraine R
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a radio news reader (1975-ish), I was instructed to say "eye-rack" and "ee-rahn".

idrow avatar
Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do Brits make the word aluminum so complicated? When you fix that, you can make fun of us on how we pronounce things.

logancolee avatar
Logan Colee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s just the numerous accents that we have stretched over our country

johnny_farnen avatar
Johnny Farnen
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Why do Europeans call people from the US "Americans" when by definition people from Canada and Mexico are also Americans?

y_themptander avatar
YoyoSthlm
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because that's what you're called, the others are called Canadians and Mexicans. Or what do you want to be called?? USAians?

Load More Replies...
n_vdb avatar
Norbertus Van Den Bosch
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Well, it is like apple products an overrated, highly expensive thing... Cost a lot and takes many years to get rid of.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

Things-Americans-Do

semagomez Report

Add photo comments
POST
dirigobill avatar
Bill
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because educators didn't want parents to think E meant "Excellent"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

Things-Americans-Do

JennaGuillaume Report

Add photo comments
POST
wookiee74 avatar
Chewie Baron
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't get me started on how Americans pronounce 'mirror'. They miss out the 'o' and say "mirrrrr". Madness!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Things-Americans-Do

brndizzle Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

High school was pretty much the worst time in my life. My daughter is going through it now and I wish I could just fast forward her outta there.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

Things-Americans-Do

Lisa_rasteg Report

Add photo comments
POST
cblack avatar
C Black
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Americans get MAD? Rather they probably just don't know which sport you're speaking of. In America, football and soccer are two different sports. That's probably why they don't know what you're talking about. As for being "mad..." I doubt they are mad about it, LOL.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

Things-Americans-Do

Real_Xi_Jinping Report

Add photo comments
POST
michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah but then you also have 'drinks halls' in germany with liquor, beer, water, soda... Why? Also you're ignoring the "dry county" thing where within one state many counties may sell absolutely zero alcohol and the next does.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Things-Americans-Do

THEYOUNGTROY Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#28

Things-Americans-Do

BANGTANDIOR Report

Add photo comments
POST
anne-karina avatar
Anne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are handy when you bring cooked food to a meeting/people etc.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

Things-Americans-Do

phoebehalliwels Report