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.”
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It makes sense to start with the day, but I guess it's what you get used to
We choose from a lot more at first, eventually narrowing it down to two and choosing from them.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
I don't know about other Americans, but at our house, we just call it TUNA.
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.
Because you don't need a bloody scale to measure grams. All you need is a simple cup with lines. DUH!
Well actually, most of the time we say that we don't give a s**t, so.....
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.
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!!
Some Americans also love making fun of people who speak English with a foreign accent, when they themselves can only speak one language
i have been to the States many times and in many places. my English (American) is pretty good, but I still have an accent. Every single stranger that I ever met that noticed just wants to know where I'm from, and when I tell them I'm from Belgium they go "woa! and your english is so good!" never ever had someone making fun of me.
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Who the hell are you associating with that gets weird when you speak perfect English? Yo need new friends.
Yeah, but terrible people tend to have terrible friends. I think this is more of a reflection on who she is than who she encounters.
Load More Replies... I'm 63 and it never occurred to me that it was weird for a person from another country to speak English fluently or use slang. Nor have I ever made fun of anyone who speaks with an accent. Don't lump us all together please.
As tourists, Americans do do that. I worked at a hotel for two years and American tourists not only complimented me for my good English, but also complimented Swedes in general for speaking English as well as we do. They found it surprising that everyone they met here easily could speak with them, give directions, and such. So as tourists, you Americans do this. Which is nice 😃
Particularly when they refuse to realize the United States has no official state language... by actual law, the only restriction on language is that English is the language of commerce. Meaning, to do business of any sort in the country, English is supposed to be used. However this has never been enforced in the last 150 years. Fun fact...German lost the vote as the official language of commerce by only a small margin.
Oh, thank god for that small margin of people who voted for English.
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Generally, US citizens have less experience with traveling to other countries because a variety of other countries would be financially out of reach due to distances to get there. Ergo a slightly xenophobic world view due to lack of experience. The ones who embrace the xenophobia are small minded jerks that embarrass the rest of us.
Same reason anyone is pleasantly shocked when a nonnative speaks their language with slang
Ps also not a lot of Americans use slang words, so it’s weird when some of us do it.
Not true at all. If you saw an American tourist in France, would you expect us to speak French? Most of the time we just don’t know you speak english!
Really! So I should shame the Germans that are surprised when I can understand them and communicate effectively too? Why do you think? Its not normal tat way I bet at least half of the people you interact with daily in wherever the hell you are from cant do the same as you.
Crazy world you live in with that question, and it is so far off-base. You are the common denominator. Not Americans.
We don't all -- there are just a lot of sheltered and ignorant people.
Honestly I know the web is big, so I am not that type of so called American you are ranting about.
One thing I’ve always found weird was that when you travel to English speaking countries it’s just expected to know English - which is fine, BUT I think it’s sad when English speaking people visit other countries like mine and expect everyone to speak English- and not even make an effort of trying to learn how to greet or say thank you. Like, that would be so appreciated. I know most of us speak English, but it wouldn’t hurt to try at least a little bit 😅
Maybe they just don't understand what you're saying... I don't have any problem with a person with a thick accent speaking English and using slang words EXCEPT it's probably MOST of what is being said that is difficult to understand. No offense but sometimes it's not easy to understand foreigners who are speaking English. That's just the way it is.
That's not all Americans, just the ignorant ones who also believe that if you are speaking a foreign language in their presence you are probably talking about them.
Because many Americans think only English exists. Since many are oddly offended when people speak anything but English in America (which by the way we don't even have a national language). It's all based on ignorance.
Some were born before satellites the internet. There wasnt as much cross culture in even the recent past
I think on some level Americans are embarrassed that most of us speak only one language and so we cover up our shame with affected American condescension.
Again, not all Americans do this either. The people I know don't at least.
I once had a non-native speaker tell me I had a muffin top. I was not prepared for that.
its because english is the HARDEST grammar to learn, so if you aren't born here, and you can speak slang, you're a god
This question won't hold water. Do you have another criticism to offer in its place?
i'm English and i guarantee the yanks are not speaking real English they just butcher our language
I hear it said at least 3 different ways depending on what news channel you watch
Don't get me started on how Americans pronounce 'mirror'. They miss out the 'o' and say "mirrrrr". Madness!
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.
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.
It's the MOVIES for F sake! Get a clue would you?! We don't DO that IRL.
These are kinda stupid. It's an unnecessary generalization. Not everyone does. Some do, not all. Lots of Americans would love to have the metric system. We just don't and can't change it.
I know! It wouldn't even be that hard, they teach it in schools already. And the pain that it was to learn to convert centimeters to inches...*shivers* like seriously, 1 inch = 2.54 cm WTH?
Load More Replies... OMG. The questions get more and more stupid the more you scroll down. And the first one is already pretty stupid.
This article would be okay if people were asking questions they genuinely want answered, but they're taking the p**s. Also, it's just ignorant to assume all Americans do these things. I'd be pissed if they made an article asking Americans to do this to Brits. Just not my sense of humour I guess.
Let's keep bashing Americans because it makes us feel better about ourselves.
why do americans continually complain about their pathetic healthcare but vote in people who promise to fix it but never do
This article was so annoying. As an American, I have never done half of these things. I have a sense of humor and can laugh at my own expense, but these are stupid things that not even I have ever even heard of. I understand that our president is a joke to the rest of the world, but please stop lumping all Americans into the category of idiots who do everything wrong just because you don't agree with it. Every country in the world does things differently than the next because each country is unique. Let's focus on that and not the silly things that are different.
Why are toilet doors in American public toilets smaller than the average car door?
Well, now I know who's been s******g in my car. Thanks a lot, Shelp.
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Because the h is silent. When the h isn't silent then it's a guys name.
Load More Replies... Why does BP continue to put up posts like this? America is very diverse, with so many different types of people. Why do they post these which lump us all together in stereotypes? This is not intelligent work, or helpful. Some of these questions are based solely on what they see on TV or in movies ffs. Americans would be blasted if we so crassly stereotyped another culture. It doesn't seem that a lot people posting questions like these understand that the US is made up of states that have their own laws, etc. Or that this country is a collection of peoples, not just one heritage or culture.
White South African here (yes, the colour needs to be mentioned.) Two things I experienced in the States that I would love an explenation for: (I am not hating, nor am I being mean. I loved the country and the people I interactrd with.) 1. Why does everyone want to know why I'm not black? 4 out of 5 people I met would ask the question. Got a bit annoying after about the 20th time. 2. Why do Southerners say y'all? You is collective. That is an unneeded repetition. Where did that come from?
You is plural. Thou is singular. However, I don't know anyone that uses thou. Y'all is the southern way of making it clear that we mean you plural. As for the why are you white question......ignorance? Not sure how anyone would be unaware that there are white people from SA. Had they heard of apartheid?
Load More Replies... Buzzfeed posts the same comments in a different order about once a week. It's old.
Why do Americans say, "I did it on accident?" It's 'by accident' dammit!
Only ignorant, uneducated Americans say that, and it drives me batty too.
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“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. Completely agree. Bizarre, skewed, c**k eyed, unfair, cruel.
Bored Panda owes me the five minutes it took to read this nonsense.
As for calling these things "stupid questions" -- I'm sure we all have mistaken impressions and ideas that we've picked up over the years about other countries that they'd think were silly.
A mistaken impression is one thing. A troll question is quite another.
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In the States it's actually spelled 'aluminum' and pronounced that way. According to quora.com "According to the Online Etymology Dictionary English chemist Sir Humphry Davy named the element alumium in 1808 and then changed it to aluminum in 1812. British editors changed it to aluminium to be more in keeping with other elements such as potassium and sodium, while the Americans retained the spelling as aluminum." So a British scientist called it aluminum, but then others wanted it to sound more 'sciencey' but we didn't cooperate, as usual LOL.
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This proves only that foreign trolls are just as stupid as American trolls.
For American and non-Americans alike, I think the book that explains best exactly how different and diverse the US is is https://www.amazon.com/American-Nations-History-Regional-Cultures/dp/0143122029 -- or if the link doesn't work, just look up American Nations by Colin Woodard. It truly explains why we'll never really be UNITED states -- we're really 11 separate nations (some partially in other countries) joined together. We think, talk, act, and look at the world in very, very different ways depending on where we grew up because of when and by whom each area was first settled.
Can we make it so that people can add questions? I’ve one I’d like to ask.
I scrolled down here to find all the comments by bitter Americans who constantly make jokes about other countries but can't take it in return. I was not disappointed.
Why do muricans believe having healthcare, paid maternity, paid vacation, paid sick days, pensions for elderly, education will drain their economy to bancrupsy and can not work. It works in all other countries in the world, not only the developed ones, but actually all others. Meanwhile they spend billions for military and they just gave the most rich people in the world trilions of dollars. To save them from... what. I dont even know how many zeros a trilion has. Meanwhile the people got some spare change to survive longer in pandemic. Btw if those people die, rich wont have profit - because if the people who do all the real work while paying all the taxes, bills and goods, if those people die who will create the profit. This is insane. And they believe they are the greatest nation. Just WOW.
No worries Nirity, you country is way better in every sense! *sarcasm*........smh
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Probably because your s**t isn't funny and we're damned sick and tired of it.
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Not necessarily, but it is a big fixation on the US I don't get. Probably because it's such a unique country compared to the rest of the west. I wouldn't have any interesting questions about Norway or Canada for example.
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I hate this. I was married to an American who flat out refused to remove his shoes when entering someones house while we were living in Canada. He thought it was weird. Look at the American TV shows. They are wearing shoes on the bed, on the sofa. It is gross.
Probably because it's spelled aluminium in the UK and Ireland
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Are there posts non-stop about your country's stereotypes, creating a situation where you constantly have to defend yourself, OR clarify that the stereotypes are completely incorrect? There's a point when it switches from laughing with you to laughing at you, and that gets tiring.
Load More Replies... Ok, we get it, Americans do weird things. But so do all other countries? I mean, British people call steak fries "crisps"? They're soft? Chips - potato chips - are crispy, and I can see if you'd call steak fries "chips", because they're chips of potato? But "crisps"? They're soft?
No, sorry that's not true. We do not call 'steak fries' crisps in the UK. They are chips. Hot, fried chips made from chips of potato and soft (though if cooked properly slightly crunchy on the outside). Crisps in the UK are what Americans call potato chips and ARE crisp - the thin, crispy, crunchy, slices of potatoes sold in bags and eaten cold. I don't care what they are called personally but didn't want you to have the wrong idea. I am very anti the US bashing thing so not joining in on that.
Load More Replies... So a lot of people have been getting this wrong just wanted to clarify. The United States of America, its the CUSTOMARY system. OK?
I only use checks to pay my rent, because that's what my landlord wants. I use my bank card for everything else.
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Yes - and what the heck is a "stone", meaning some measurement of weight??
Load More Replies... These are kinda stupid. It's an unnecessary generalization. Not everyone does. Some do, not all. Lots of Americans would love to have the metric system. We just don't and can't change it.
I know! It wouldn't even be that hard, they teach it in schools already. And the pain that it was to learn to convert centimeters to inches...*shivers* like seriously, 1 inch = 2.54 cm WTH?
Load More Replies... OMG. The questions get more and more stupid the more you scroll down. And the first one is already pretty stupid.
This article would be okay if people were asking questions they genuinely want answered, but they're taking the p**s. Also, it's just ignorant to assume all Americans do these things. I'd be pissed if they made an article asking Americans to do this to Brits. Just not my sense of humour I guess.
Let's keep bashing Americans because it makes us feel better about ourselves.
why do americans continually complain about their pathetic healthcare but vote in people who promise to fix it but never do
This article was so annoying. As an American, I have never done half of these things. I have a sense of humor and can laugh at my own expense, but these are stupid things that not even I have ever even heard of. I understand that our president is a joke to the rest of the world, but please stop lumping all Americans into the category of idiots who do everything wrong just because you don't agree with it. Every country in the world does things differently than the next because each country is unique. Let's focus on that and not the silly things that are different.
Why are toilet doors in American public toilets smaller than the average car door?
Well, now I know who's been s******g in my car. Thanks a lot, Shelp.
Load More Replies... Because the h is silent. When the h isn't silent then it's a guys name.
Load More Replies... Why does BP continue to put up posts like this? America is very diverse, with so many different types of people. Why do they post these which lump us all together in stereotypes? This is not intelligent work, or helpful. Some of these questions are based solely on what they see on TV or in movies ffs. Americans would be blasted if we so crassly stereotyped another culture. It doesn't seem that a lot people posting questions like these understand that the US is made up of states that have their own laws, etc. Or that this country is a collection of peoples, not just one heritage or culture.
White South African here (yes, the colour needs to be mentioned.) Two things I experienced in the States that I would love an explenation for: (I am not hating, nor am I being mean. I loved the country and the people I interactrd with.) 1. Why does everyone want to know why I'm not black? 4 out of 5 people I met would ask the question. Got a bit annoying after about the 20th time. 2. Why do Southerners say y'all? You is collective. That is an unneeded repetition. Where did that come from?
You is plural. Thou is singular. However, I don't know anyone that uses thou. Y'all is the southern way of making it clear that we mean you plural. As for the why are you white question......ignorance? Not sure how anyone would be unaware that there are white people from SA. Had they heard of apartheid?
Load More Replies... Buzzfeed posts the same comments in a different order about once a week. It's old.
Why do Americans say, "I did it on accident?" It's 'by accident' dammit!
Only ignorant, uneducated Americans say that, and it drives me batty too.
Load More Replies... “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. Completely agree. Bizarre, skewed, c**k eyed, unfair, cruel.
Bored Panda owes me the five minutes it took to read this nonsense.
As for calling these things "stupid questions" -- I'm sure we all have mistaken impressions and ideas that we've picked up over the years about other countries that they'd think were silly.
A mistaken impression is one thing. A troll question is quite another.
Load More Replies... In the States it's actually spelled 'aluminum' and pronounced that way. According to quora.com "According to the Online Etymology Dictionary English chemist Sir Humphry Davy named the element alumium in 1808 and then changed it to aluminum in 1812. British editors changed it to aluminium to be more in keeping with other elements such as potassium and sodium, while the Americans retained the spelling as aluminum." So a British scientist called it aluminum, but then others wanted it to sound more 'sciencey' but we didn't cooperate, as usual LOL.
Load More Replies... This proves only that foreign trolls are just as stupid as American trolls.
For American and non-Americans alike, I think the book that explains best exactly how different and diverse the US is is https://www.amazon.com/American-Nations-History-Regional-Cultures/dp/0143122029 -- or if the link doesn't work, just look up American Nations by Colin Woodard. It truly explains why we'll never really be UNITED states -- we're really 11 separate nations (some partially in other countries) joined together. We think, talk, act, and look at the world in very, very different ways depending on where we grew up because of when and by whom each area was first settled.
Can we make it so that people can add questions? I’ve one I’d like to ask.
I scrolled down here to find all the comments by bitter Americans who constantly make jokes about other countries but can't take it in return. I was not disappointed.
Why do muricans believe having healthcare, paid maternity, paid vacation, paid sick days, pensions for elderly, education will drain their economy to bancrupsy and can not work. It works in all other countries in the world, not only the developed ones, but actually all others. Meanwhile they spend billions for military and they just gave the most rich people in the world trilions of dollars. To save them from... what. I dont even know how many zeros a trilion has. Meanwhile the people got some spare change to survive longer in pandemic. Btw if those people die, rich wont have profit - because if the people who do all the real work while paying all the taxes, bills and goods, if those people die who will create the profit. This is insane. And they believe they are the greatest nation. Just WOW.
No worries Nirity, you country is way better in every sense! *sarcasm*........smh
Load More Replies... Probably because your s**t isn't funny and we're damned sick and tired of it.
Load More Replies... Not necessarily, but it is a big fixation on the US I don't get. Probably because it's such a unique country compared to the rest of the west. I wouldn't have any interesting questions about Norway or Canada for example.
Load More Replies... I hate this. I was married to an American who flat out refused to remove his shoes when entering someones house while we were living in Canada. He thought it was weird. Look at the American TV shows. They are wearing shoes on the bed, on the sofa. It is gross.
Probably because it's spelled aluminium in the UK and Ireland
Load More Replies... Are there posts non-stop about your country's stereotypes, creating a situation where you constantly have to defend yourself, OR clarify that the stereotypes are completely incorrect? There's a point when it switches from laughing with you to laughing at you, and that gets tiring.
Load More Replies... Ok, we get it, Americans do weird things. But so do all other countries? I mean, British people call steak fries "crisps"? They're soft? Chips - potato chips - are crispy, and I can see if you'd call steak fries "chips", because they're chips of potato? But "crisps"? They're soft?
No, sorry that's not true. We do not call 'steak fries' crisps in the UK. They are chips. Hot, fried chips made from chips of potato and soft (though if cooked properly slightly crunchy on the outside). Crisps in the UK are what Americans call potato chips and ARE crisp - the thin, crispy, crunchy, slices of potatoes sold in bags and eaten cold. I don't care what they are called personally but didn't want you to have the wrong idea. I am very anti the US bashing thing so not joining in on that.
Load More Replies... So a lot of people have been getting this wrong just wanted to clarify. The United States of America, its the CUSTOMARY system. OK?
I only use checks to pay my rent, because that's what my landlord wants. I use my bank card for everything else.
Load More Replies... Yes - and what the heck is a "stone", meaning some measurement of weight??
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