Do germans usually smile they are metting a new person?

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Alwin E

Hi, I'm German. Yes, we DO smile, but it's a different kind of smile than you might be used to. It's rather just the indication of a smile which someone who isn't used to that probably won't even notice. Fully smiling at a new person you meet might make him/her feel ridiculed, or at least uncomfortable. A German would think, "Is there something wrong about me? Fly open, or what? What's he think is so funny?"

We CAN smile, however, and, believe it or not, we can even LAUGH. But only if we know the person better.

Maybe it has something to do with our language. We have two different words for "you": The "Sie" (say "zee") we use for strangers, and the "Du" (say "doo") we use for friends or people we know better. The two words not only require different verb endings (which makes the German language quite difficult to learn), but in a social context also require a different behavior.

Altstadtweib

Yes, I am from Germany and yes of course I smile when I greet a person. Everybody is different though. Some smile, some not.
When I greet a person I usually smile and say "Nice to meet you"

Sophie

Being an American, I found that they don't possess as much of the superficial friendliness that most Americans would be used to. Sometimes in a simple everyday interaction such as going to the store or passing by someone on the street you won't get any smile or greeting. But if you actually get to know someone, either through introduction or simply situation they are pretty nice people. I found that neighbors, after being introduced to them will definately say hi smile and wave, even if you don't try and get to know them.

Now, that one comment about Germans mocking you for not speaking the language, I know for a fact that Americans ourselves are very guilty of the same thing. The remark about the 3rd Reich is simply offtopic, unacceptable and offensive.

pinata

I am from Hamburg a merchants town and we know a smile at the right time is the first step to a long business connection.
Frohe Weihnachten from Hamburg, Germany
Heinz
@ferrari: pls means please; pls bedeuted bitte

Fenris Troll Ripper JPA RT ATL Â®

Yes and No more than any other human being. They are no different really in personalities than a English men, French Men, American etc, each has their own personality and that determines if they are friendly or not.

IN my personal experiences going to Germany every year for almost twenty years i have almost never not had some one smile. In fact I found it easier to speak to German woman and date them than American woman of my own country!!

Hope that helps. I think people get this cold picture of them from old WWII movies and that is just not who they are!!!

lingoyagi

Of course we smile ....yes Am german too.............. If we like you when we first meet we do if not unlike most americans we don't do the fake smiles..................

Nik

Okay, I am from Germany and in my opinion Germany is a bit unfriendly, when it comes to smiling when they meet a new person. I have the feeling, they only smile when they like you, and not even then for sure. Older people will smile more often, when you greet them, as a stranger, don't ask me why. The biggest problems, are the teens (to which I belong to), when teens meet a new person, they don't smile, at least not here (again, they smile only when they think you look nice or are attracted to you).
Well, that is my theory.. and I am only representing the feel of my little area, so not of all Germany =)

LadySwift

I am 100% german. I was raised to be friendly and smile. However, if I notice something odd, I will more or less analyze the person before opening up to them. Its a self protection approach! Many germans are raised just like me. If someting seems weired, we will not just open our arms to anyone. My Mom called it "always listen to your gut instinct".
I have been living in the USA since 1997 and I have noticed that there are not to many people left that just smile, say "excuse me" and so on. Its all in how one has been raised.

im not nice but im trying

i'm german.sorry if my english goes badly!
nope.we don't like smiling for the first times,just examine them.when we're accustumed to them,we get friendlier.sorry i didn't understand what pls is

J.E.S.

Don't know about Germany, but I'm fourth generation German and all my family from as far back as I can remember do. Except when they took pictures. Looked like they ate green persimmions.

The Loiterer

Germans smile? I've visited germany (berlin) . I,ve never been met with a smile. And if you don't speak their language they'll mock you. They don't seem to have evolved very much since the days of the third reich.

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