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There probably isn't a country in the world that can escape stereotypes about its people. The French are all snobs, Germans are all incredibly organized and love rules, the Japanese are really hard workers, and all Australians eat is shrimp on the barbie. Americans are probably the most stereotyped people of all.
Especially online, the Internet is ripe with folks having all kinds of opinions about those who live in the U.S. of A. In one thread, people shared their opinions prompted by the question, "What are obvious immediate giveaways that someone is an American?" The answers ranged from quite wholesome ones like the enviable social skills many Americans might have to more quirky ones like the all-American condiment – ranch.
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#2
They try to explain to me, an Italian, that they're just as Italian as me because their great great great grandfather's second cousin's aunt was italian, then proceed to lecture me on what being italian really means, then tell me I'm wrong about my own country and culture.
#3
When they think liberals are the far left.
Nils Skirnir 2 days ago
US liberals would be center right in Australia or Japan, far right in NZ, and far left only in Hungary.
#4
Displaying a huge U.S. flag on their vehicle... In the U.S.... Never quite understood the concept behind that one. No joke it baffles me.
Janissary35680 2 days ago
On the vehicle, in the yard, on the house, on the roof, on the dog, on the cat... Just about anywhere there's room for a flag basically.
#5
My friend (Australian) walked into a McDonalds in the US and there was a man sitting at one of the tables reading a Bible and openly wearing a gun around his waist. That is a uniquely American combination.
#6
When they say they are in Europe and not France, Germany etc.
Janissary35680 2 days ago
(Looks at date app on phone) "If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium".
#7
VOLUME.
aural89:
In a museum in London where everyone is speaking quietly, and then BOOM, an American accent out of nowhere just catches you so off guard.
ewoofk:
You hear most of them before you see them.
Christos Arvanitis 1 day ago
I was in Hiroshima recently at Peace Museum about the nuclear bomb that annihilated Hiroshima. Very solemn and dead quiet... until some people started speaking Portuguese loudly. Every culture has its rude and loud people.
#8
Deliberating whether or not to go to the hospital after a serious injury.
Jane No Dough 2 days ago
Hmm, live the rest of my life in poverty or take my chances with Death?
#9
Talk of freedom while also worrying about the constant fear of medical bills.
CanadianDimes 2 days ago
I’ll take “communist” medical systems over the freedom to get shot, thanks
#10
When they’re in another country (vacation, business etc) when a local asks them where they’re from they say their state instead of their country. I’m sorry but not many people in Brazil know what a “Delaware” is.
shelbywhore: 'The Midwest' of what, exactly???
#11
When they say,
"My great great great (ect.) Grandparent was Irish, therefore I'm Irish."
It happens way too often and it genuinely annoys a lot of us Irish people.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 2 days ago
I remember seeing a tik tok or a youtube about a black Irish woman, with a thick Irish accent, whose family has been in Ireland for generations tell a story about an American telling her how she was not irish, because she was black, and he was more Irish than her, despite having never set foot in the country, because his great grandparents came from Ireland.
#12
Claiming that they "Don't have an accent," when literally everybody has an accent.
Firm_Knowledge_5695:
I work in a hotel, and anytime I’m talking to the residents and I can clearly tell that they're from America, I always ask them what state they're from. And 99% of the time, they immediately ask what gave it away, and after I tell them it’s the accent, it’s usually followed by, 'I don’t have an accent.' Never fails to make me giggle.
LB 2 days ago
This is similar to how privilege works. You're the reference category so you don't experience that aspect of your experience consciously. There's a documentary in Dutch called "white is also a color" and the person goes around asking people what color they are. It's very interesting to see how many people here feel like their skin is just skin colored.
#13
I am German, and when a woman told me about a sinkhole in their hometown, they said, "I don't know what you measure in, so it was the size of about 2 McDonald's restaurants." that woman is now my Fiancée.
#14
Use of the Imperial system.
As soon as someone starts talking about it being 70+ degrees and they’re still alive, foregone conclusion. Same with any use of the word gallon in a modern context.
Multa Nocte 2 days ago
Here in France you are likely to hear British people using an astonishing combination of terms for measurement. They frequently use "miles" for distance and then switch to "stones" for personal weight and then use "pounds" for money. I need to carry a conversion table when I am having a meal with British, French, and Americans.
#15
Having a private conversation that everyone within 20m can hear.
Oerff On Tour 1 day ago
I assume that Americans have problems hearing because of their loud Freedom
#16
- **Teeth:** Americans are all about cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics, the ones that aren’t are probably not able to easily afford international travel, so we don’t see a lot of Americans without perfectly aligned, iridescent white teeth in the UK or Australia.
- **Talking to strangers:** Americans absolutely love talking to strangers and when this clashes with the British imperative to avoid talking to strangers, I find it kind of hilarious ! I quite enjoy when I see Americans on the tube in london, prattling away to British commuters who look like they are dying inside.
- **Flip flops/sandals:** In warm weather you’ll see Americans wearing leather flip flops. As a flip flop connoisseur (I’m Australian) I spot the American style flip flops a mile away.
#17
Their sense of 'center-of-the-universe'-dom.
Debby Keir 1 day ago
Well, in some ways every country has that - but also in micro terms - London is the 'centre' of the UK, despite the vast majority of the UK being way north of London, and having somewhat different values.
#18
If they complain about the portion size of their meal being too small.
Janissary35680 2 days ago (edited)
And you can recognize a European in a US eatery when they look at the plate and say "I just ordered one portion". 😄
#19
British man once told me he knew I was American because I was wearing a baseball cap backwards.
Dcman333444:
This is what I was told when my brother and I went to England, Singapore, and Australia years ago. People all immediately identified me as American because of the baseball caps.
#20
I said 'y’all' when I went to Europe. Immediately outed myself.
Donkey boi 1 day ago
The Irish version is 'Youse', although some of us have been known to us 'y'all' as well.
#21
Tipping.
Maymundo:
Every time I visit my relatives in Italy, they say, 'Don’t ruin it for us.' They don’t want the whole tipping thing to catch on.
Søren Schilthauer 2 days ago
Funny. Years ago i went to Italy and discovered that the menu price wasn't the actual price - there was a mandatory 10% service surcharge.... So essentially a 10% mandatory tip
#22
If the U on their keyboard is dusty.
Dorma Hughes 1 day ago
We also drop the unnecessary ue at the end of words like catalog and dialog. And we have checks, not cheques.
#23
Small talk. I'm not much of a small talk person even as an American, but I tried to be polite and chat with a cashier at a market, and he looked baffled and didn't really know how to reply. Americans will chat with anybody and everybody, especially if you're from the South.
Rachel Pelz 1 day ago
Hurts no one, honestly. For a cashier, it may be awkward but otherwise, it's a small period of potentially annoyance versus two people feeling connected, human, amused, understood, whatever. One of my late mom's highlights were little chats with tourists from the US.
#24
Ranch.
kelliwk:
I stopped at at a steakhouse in Frankfurt, and a salad came with my meal. They asked if we wanted Italian or American dressing. American was ranch.
And yesterday I learned that Cool Ranch Doritos are called 'Cool American Doritos' in certain parts of Europe, and you bet your a*s I’m taking a selfie with a bag when I go."
Jane No Dough 2 days ago
I loathe ranch dressing and don't understand it's popularity. It's as if people who like it have to be zealous about it, as if they're in a Ranch cult.
#25
Talking to strangers in public. After living in Germany for two months I was horrified when a stranger on the bus commented on my shoes.
HeeseungsAce:
Yup! Went to Florida, and when I went shopping I was wearing a skirt, and a girl maybe a few years older than I was commented on how she loved my skirt. Would NEVER have happened in Denmark, that’s for sure.
#26
I am an American and was at a restaurant in France. They brought me warm soda in a glass. When I asked them for ice, they brought a tiny bowl of ice with a little set of silver tongs and put two ice cubes the size of sugar cubes into my glass, which melted immediately, lol.
aspidities_87:
Are you me? This was my exact experience. We stopped at a little café in Marseilles, and it was sweaty and hot, so I wanted a lemonade and asked for ice. They did this little song and dance with the bucket and popped a single cube into my drink. I watched it melt in two seconds and just quietly said, ‘Merci.'
#27
I'm an American that works for an international company. Europeans are often amused by how we describe distances. Instead of saying, "we're x number of miles from that city ", we'll say, "we're two hours away" , or "that's a four hour drive". They're also universally blown away once they realize how big the US is.
arthbach 1 day ago
It's also fairly standard to measure distance in hours in Canada and Australia. I'm interested, do Russians and Chinese people also measure in hours?
Janissary35680 1 day ago
Turkish villagers used to cite the walking/donkey-riding distance between villages by the number cigarettes smoked.
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Donkey boi 1 day ago
I measure distance by time because it makes more sense. 10 miles in London could take 45min in some parts. In North Norfolk you can cover 60mph, and it's a country mile. My mam in Surrey lives 7 miles away AKA 20 mins.
CanadianDimes 2 days ago
We do that in Canada and everyone does it in London, too, because depending on where you are in London, driving/busing 1km could take a few minutes or half an hour
Janissary35680 1 day ago
"Where and when" you are. And not just in London but in any big metropolis.
Load More Replies... SaladSpinner3000 1 day ago
Measuring by time allows one to plan a trip. How long does it take to get there? What time should I leave to get there? Is traffic a factor? Do I tell my mother-in-law how horrific the drive was so we can cut the visit short to be home in time to feed the cat? Canada is big. It can take an hour to commute by car to work or two hours to get to a destination for a "day trip".
Agat 2 days ago (edited)
I really don't understand this idea that we somehow don't get the size of the USA. Europe neighbours Russia so it's not like we're shocked that another country is "a bit bigger" 😅 And RU is almost two times bigger than the US so the scale is there. But yes, Europe is rather small while RU, CA, CN and the US are muuuuch bigger (just listing the four biggest countries in the world in order). Edit: I know that RU lies in Europe *and* Asia, what is above is a mental shortcut, though technically incorrect.
arthbach 1 day ago
Agat, last time I used https://www.thetruesize.com/ I was shocked by how small the USA was. I'd heard too many times about how Europeans vastly underestimate the size of the USA. Using The True Size showed me the USA was roughly the size of Australia. I was expecting it to be twice the size!
Load More Replies...
Janissary35680 2 days ago (edited)
One reason the 1945 conference signing the United Nations charter was deliberately hosted by the US in San Francisco and delegates from Europe were taken there from the East coast by train was to convey the message of just how big the country was geographically.
Nils Skirnir 2 days ago
It was a power flex to cow the largely already impoverished other nations
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Tomato Smudge 1 day ago
My longtime friend in Malaysia sometimes looks at weather news for the US and tells me to be safe even though she keeps forgetting how big the US is. I'm in the Pacific Northwest and nowhere near Florida state or whatever hurricane states but lemme just say it was funny googling the distance in kilometers and realizing how many results tell me distance in hours instead. I just wanted my friend to not worry LMAO
Julie S 1 day ago
I never understand how big a "block" is in America. I watch American films or TV shows and someone says "I had to walk 6 blocks!" I have no idea if that's a long way or not.
Zoe Duddle 19 hours ago
Lots of Americans really don’t like to walk. It varies but ‘a block’ is about 1/20th of a mile. So 6 blocks is about half a kilometre or just over a 3rd of a mile. A laughably short distance.
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Kristine Condon 1 day ago
I think that varies from state to state, county to county, city to city etc. I've lived all over the US and have found that in areas heavily congested with traffic, people will say the distance instead of the time- because 2 miles could take 10 min or 2 hours.
Claire Collymore 1 day ago
I would be very surprised if that many people are ‘universally blown away once they realize how big the US is’ It is hardly a secret as it is clearly visible on every map of the world.
Bat cat in a hat 1 day ago
That's very common in big countries (driving/travel time instead of mileage/kilometers)
Pencil 1 day ago
Also in congested cities. My job in NYC was only about 6 miles from my apartment but it was a 45 minute commute.
Load More Replies... Lena Flising 15 hours ago
I work in freight forwarding and transports. We often talk about how many hours it will take the trailer or container to get here. Sweden is a narrow country, but a relatively long one, so it takes many hours to go between the north and south of our country.
Keith Lancaster 1 day ago
Don't forget that here in the UK even small distances can take a long time to cover. I work about ten miles from home and at busy times that can take me almost an to do.
Jeremy Klaxon 1 day ago
In France, people in cities talk in minutes and people in the countryside talk in km.
UncleJohn3000 1 day ago
It's common to describe travel by time in areas where "as the crow flies" does not apply. Mountains, lakes, oceans, deserts...
#28
Covering things with assorted cheeses of the liquid persuasion.
#29
They try to communicate with people who speak different languages by speaking English really slowly and making way too many hand gestures.
#30
Gleaming white teeth, using the words restroom, sneakers and soda.
#31
Commenting "BuT it'S SuMmeR" whenever anyone from Australia posts about doing winter activities in June or July. This is a pretty consistent theme on TikTok, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened elsewhere.
What do you think ?
Hans Georg 1 day ago
The standard "europe mind can't comprehend" is in the pipeline.
Load More Replies...
Michael Largey 1 day ago
Outlining cultural differences is not in every case offensive or stupid. And I am an american.
Load More Replies...
Brobro McDuderson 1 day ago
Lol, I haven’t been to BP in probably a year. Removed it from my fave list due to all the negativity and bashing. Came back on impulse…and nothing has changed lol. 75% of the posts are negative and rage-bait. And the same old US bashing, even the comments in this thread are the same as every weekly US bashing thread used to be. Nice to see nothing has changed 🤣. Man do I miss the old BP.
SaladSpinner3000 1 day ago
I miss old BP art and photography mostly. This tabloid trash can be found anywhere.
Load More Replies... Pencil 1 day ago
Why all the comments about how Americans will "talk to anyone" or love "small talk"? What's wrong with that? Maybe we're just culturally friendlier or more curious about other people. It's not some inherently negative thing. If someone assumes every friendly person is uncultured swine, maybe they're just pretentious and intolerant.
Bill Evs 1 day ago
I thought exactly that too. I've been to the US a few times and loved how friendly Americans were. It was so refreshing.
Load More Replies... Java Addict 1 day ago
For the millionth time, America has real cheese too. It is not all that plastic yellow stuff. So tired of having to repeat this.
LokisLilButterknife 1 day ago
Hah hah, I haven't been on BoredPanda for more than a year due to their horrible censorship, decline in the quality of listicles, lack of moderation, and downright meanness of some of their posts. And lo and behold, the first thing I'm met with is a listicle grouping all Americans together and bashing them again. Ah good ol' BoredPanda, it looks like things haven't changed around here.
LB 1 hour ago
Please, where else is there to go? I'm only hanging out here because I need to numb or distract myself sometimes (and I like some folks on here). Any tips would be appreciated.
Load More Replies...
Dilly Dally 1 day ago
I... hm. I happen to be an American who travels a lot, and I will say that I have conversations with people pretty often, I'm just... really social. I never meant any harm by it or anything. and the backpack thing on trips is because in my family, that's where we put, like, water and stuff that we need because we are out seeing your part of the world. Sorry if it bothers you, it's just... the way I was raised.
Christos Arvanitis 1 day ago
There are twats from every county. I hate these articles. There is a real sense of entitlement in so many of these... ugh
Jessica SpeLangm 1 day ago
Oh YAY.....yet another "Let's bash America even though we don't live there" post. I'm so sick of these types of bashing. Actually.........I'm tired of bashing ANY country, or ANY group of people.
Tobias Reaper 2 days ago
the way they say the date in the uk when saying the date we would say today is the 20th of December. Americans say December 20th
Tyranamar Suess 12 hours ago
I'm not offended by any of this. It's all true. Which is fine. Stereotypes exist for a reason. It's OK to admit we have a few.
Campy 15 hours ago (edited)
The good news, world citizens, is that the Americans you encounter in your countries are the best of them. The ones who are actually open and curious about other countries. Be grateful the worst of them don't travel outside the States. There's a reason they were called deplorables.
Isabel Galvez 18 hours ago
I like that it's normal for them to start conversations with strangers. I'm a Spaniard leaving in Germany and I miss that.
Uncle Schmickle 1 day ago
I don't know what the people below are complaining about. This subject was just a bit of fun and asking folks experience/ideas of certain characteristics of Americans. I didn't find it offensive . Bring on a series about other national characteristics/peculiarities.
Nils Skirnir 1 day ago
As an American, I’d say someone over 300 pounds who’s under 6 feet is 80% likely to be American.
Penguin Panda Pop 2 days ago
Didn't read it, but I'd have to say the accent. Americans often speak with an accent that sounds like it comes from some region of America.
UncleJohn3000 1 day ago (edited)
The line between contempt and jealousy is very thin and on full display today.
Hans Georg 1 day ago
The standard "europe mind can't comprehend" is in the pipeline.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 1 day ago
Outlining cultural differences is not in every case offensive or stupid. And I am an american.
Load More Replies... Brobro McDuderson 1 day ago
Lol, I haven’t been to BP in probably a year. Removed it from my fave list due to all the negativity and bashing. Came back on impulse…and nothing has changed lol. 75% of the posts are negative and rage-bait. And the same old US bashing, even the comments in this thread are the same as every weekly US bashing thread used to be. Nice to see nothing has changed 🤣. Man do I miss the old BP.
SaladSpinner3000 1 day ago
I miss old BP art and photography mostly. This tabloid trash can be found anywhere.
Load More Replies... Pencil 1 day ago
Why all the comments about how Americans will "talk to anyone" or love "small talk"? What's wrong with that? Maybe we're just culturally friendlier or more curious about other people. It's not some inherently negative thing. If someone assumes every friendly person is uncultured swine, maybe they're just pretentious and intolerant.
Bill Evs 1 day ago
I thought exactly that too. I've been to the US a few times and loved how friendly Americans were. It was so refreshing.
Load More Replies... Java Addict 1 day ago
For the millionth time, America has real cheese too. It is not all that plastic yellow stuff. So tired of having to repeat this.
LokisLilButterknife 1 day ago
Hah hah, I haven't been on BoredPanda for more than a year due to their horrible censorship, decline in the quality of listicles, lack of moderation, and downright meanness of some of their posts. And lo and behold, the first thing I'm met with is a listicle grouping all Americans together and bashing them again. Ah good ol' BoredPanda, it looks like things haven't changed around here.
LB 1 hour ago
Please, where else is there to go? I'm only hanging out here because I need to numb or distract myself sometimes (and I like some folks on here). Any tips would be appreciated.
Load More Replies... Dilly Dally 1 day ago
I... hm. I happen to be an American who travels a lot, and I will say that I have conversations with people pretty often, I'm just... really social. I never meant any harm by it or anything. and the backpack thing on trips is because in my family, that's where we put, like, water and stuff that we need because we are out seeing your part of the world. Sorry if it bothers you, it's just... the way I was raised.
Christos Arvanitis 1 day ago
There are twats from every county. I hate these articles. There is a real sense of entitlement in so many of these... ugh
Jessica SpeLangm 1 day ago
Oh YAY.....yet another "Let's bash America even though we don't live there" post. I'm so sick of these types of bashing. Actually.........I'm tired of bashing ANY country, or ANY group of people.
Tobias Reaper 2 days ago
the way they say the date in the uk when saying the date we would say today is the 20th of December. Americans say December 20th
Tyranamar Suess 12 hours ago
I'm not offended by any of this. It's all true. Which is fine. Stereotypes exist for a reason. It's OK to admit we have a few.
Campy 15 hours ago (edited)
The good news, world citizens, is that the Americans you encounter in your countries are the best of them. The ones who are actually open and curious about other countries. Be grateful the worst of them don't travel outside the States. There's a reason they were called deplorables.
Isabel Galvez 18 hours ago
I like that it's normal for them to start conversations with strangers. I'm a Spaniard leaving in Germany and I miss that.
Uncle Schmickle 1 day ago
I don't know what the people below are complaining about. This subject was just a bit of fun and asking folks experience/ideas of certain characteristics of Americans. I didn't find it offensive . Bring on a series about other national characteristics/peculiarities.
Nils Skirnir 1 day ago
As an American, I’d say someone over 300 pounds who’s under 6 feet is 80% likely to be American.
Penguin Panda Pop 2 days ago
Didn't read it, but I'd have to say the accent. Americans often speak with an accent that sounds like it comes from some region of America.
UncleJohn3000 1 day ago (edited)
The line between contempt and jealousy is very thin and on full display today.
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