Top Ten Tips to Polite German Etiquette

When traveling, one of my biggest fears is to offend the culture of the country I am visiting. I don’t want to follow the stereotypes of “a dumb American” or “a clueless tourist.” I want to blend into the society as much as I can. With that said, I want to share the top ten ways to polite German etiquette.

1.  Correct Address 

---  The correct address of a person’s title is the key to a good first impression. There is nothing worse than starting on the wrong foot!

- Herr (Mr.) or Frau (Ms.) + title + last name. Example, Frau Doktor Meier.
- “Du” is reserved for friends, family and younger people.
- “Sie” is used for strangers, casual acquaintances, business partners, and elders.

 2. Don’t be late 

---  Germans are very punctual and do not enjoy people who are “fashionably late.” Even if you are a few minutes late, they might be offended. Plan to arrive 5-10 minutes early to an appointment.

3.  Hand-Shaking 

---  Germans are great hand-shakers, so go ahead and give them a shake.

4.  Small Talk 

---  Keep the small talk to a minimum. Most Germans don’t make or like hearing it.

5.  Flailing Arms 

--- If you are like me, I tend to speak with my words and arms. Germans do not make many sweeping movements, emphatic gestures or displays of emotions while talking and they can get confused if you do.

6.  Ice Breaker 

---  If you want to break the ice, topics of interest may be international travel or sports in Germany (football/soccer). At all costs, avoid topics of religion in Germany or political debates.

7.  A Friendly German 

---  If a German offers you to talk on a first-name basis, you must courteously accept as they are trying to be particularly friendly.

8.  Wait before you eat 

---  You are at dinner staring at a delicious plate of sausage and potatoes and you are starving. Wait! Don’t start to eat until your host has wished you “Guten Appetite!” (“Enjoy your meal!”). 

9.  Restaurant Tipping 

--- It’s considered rude to avoid tipping when you are dining out. The average tip is 5-10% of your meal’s total.

10.  Flowers 

---  If you are invited to a party or private home in Germany, it is a good idea to bring a small gift. Flowers, wine or candy are always appropriate. But, make sure that you bring an odd number of buds because an even number is said to bring bad luck.

Germans follow their attitude stereotype as rude, arrogant, bureaucratic and dull. If you treat them with respect with these ten tips, you will likely warm many hearts.