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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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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.
CanadianDimes 1 day ago
I took a really interesting training course about this where we talked about white as being the default in western countries and therefore “invisible”. It really hit home for me because when I lived in the US, I was treated as a white American despite not being from there - even friends would make assumptions about my knowledge of the US or my cultural perspectives. Being white, a native English speaker, and not having much of a discernible accent to Americans meant my actual identity was often erased. Living in the UK is different because as soon as I open my mouth, my accent makes it obvious I’m not British (plus I live in London so the default assumption tends to be that everyone is from somewhere else)
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Michael Largey 1 day ago
I'm from Philadelphia originally but live in the Midwest. My Midwestern wife has given up trying to convince me that my friends and relatives from back East talk with an accent. I don't hear any accent - except with one, who has enough accent for three people. With her, I need closed captioning.
Craig S. (EvilSausage) 1 day ago
I get you, but in my experience, most people can't hear their accent.
Scott Musson 1 day ago
I love when people tell me I have a accent as a Canadian, I always respond with, well, how aboot that eh!
Abdullah Abd Rahman 1 day ago (edited)
Most Americans have an annoying nasal sound when they're talking. Sounds like they're talking through their nose.
Lena Flising 10 hours ago
You don't hear your own accent. People around you just sound "normal". I used to live in Gothenburg, Sweden, and didn't hear that much of the accent there. Then I moved to Östergötland, and in the beginning I heard a very thick accent in all people there. Now, after 16 years here, I don't hear it any longer, but I DO hear the Gothenburg accent, when I hear it on the TV or in relatives and friends from there. When we moved here, people asked us "Are you from Gothenburg?". Now they say "You're not from around here, are you?", so our accent has probably been "washed out" a bit.
Morgan NicGregor 11 hours ago
I'm from Wisconsin originally and have the mist understandable American accent, but it's still an accent.
Keith Lancaster 1 day ago
I'm from Lancashire but moved away years ago. Whenever my partner and I went back to visit he would always complain that my accent thickened and he really struggled to understand me. Whereas, I don't think I have an accent.
GalPalAl 1 day ago
It implies that the accent we hear in the U.S. are not always as eloquent and exotic as those we don't hear often. And most of the states people sound the same with some exceptions that are commonplace to us. If you never had access to conversing with someone from new england, massachusets or the south, you would recognize the "accent" right away. We're jealous since we have no culture
SDLT010 1 day ago
What would the normal American accent be called? A southern accent is usually considered an American accent but what would the other one be called?
MonicaChicagoGal 1 day ago
You can't generalize Americans that way people from different states have different accents.
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LB 1 day ago (edited)
Eh my community *is* the Dutch, because I *am* Dutch?? My neighbors are these really cute old people on one side and a friendly lady with a rescue beagle on the other side... She's going to take care of my plants over the holidays. So yeah, the Dutch *are* going to help me in the next year, thanks for your concern though!
Load More Replies... #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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 1 day 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.
#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.
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 1 day 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 6 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 10 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 12 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 1 day 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.
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 1 day 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 6 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 10 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 12 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 1 day 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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