What does crossing your fingers mean in Germany?

In Germany, you press your thumbs when you're wishing someone good luck. It's the equivalent of crossing your fingers for someone. Someone might say to you “Ich drück' dir die Daumen!” in the same way one says “I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!” in English.

What hand gestures are offensive in Germany?

What is considered rude in Germany?

Germans are extremely punctual and well-mannered. Showing up late, losing your cool, or raising your voice are all considered rude and thoughtless. If you step out of line, don't be surprised or offended if someone corrects your behavior, as this is very common in the German culture.

How do you flip someone off in Germany?

This one-finger salute says 'buzz off. ' In a gesture meant to express anything from discontent to irritation, the Stinkefinger is a nonverbal affront obtained by balling hands into a fist, turning the palm of the hand inward, then extending the middle finger.

How do you show respect in German?

Cross Your Fingers Meaning ?Full and Comprehensive Explanation

Why do Germans stare?

People stare at you all the time

German pedestrians also use it to communicate, and the right amount of eye contact at the right time can mean “I am walking here, and it's not my fault if you don't move over and get pushed off the sidewalk.” It might take some practice, but just try to stare as the locals stare.

What should I avoid in Germany?

Is it illegal to give the finger in Germany?

Hardly anyone ends up in jail for insulting their neighbor in the midst of a heated dispute, or for flashing the middle finger — the Stinkefinger, or “stinky finger,” as Germans call it — at another motorist in heavy traffic. But cases do wind up in court and fines are sometimes handed down.

Is it illegal to give the middle finger in Germany?

Under the insult law, it is not only curse words that are prohibited. Insulting gestures are also verboten -- showing the middle finger or in some cases even sticking out the tongue can get you in trouble.

What gestures are common in Germany?

How do you make a German mad?

What does the middle finger mean in Germany?

In southern Europe it's a lot like giving someone the middle finger. In England and Germany it is a rude and threatening gesture telling you to 'get lost' and can also be a sexual gesture about women, but it is usually only used for this meaning without a woman's presence.

Is it polite to burp in Germany?

While in other cultures, burping or smacking might be a signal that the food was good and enough, in Germany you try to eat as quietly as possible. That doesn't mean you're not allowed to talk; quite the reverse, you should talk as much as you can to boost your German.

Do Germans cross their fingers?

Instead of crossing their fingers, Germans press their thumbs. So rather than telling someone that you're crossing your fingers for them, you would say: “Ich drücke dir die Daumen.” This translates literally as: “I'll press my thumbs for you” but means “I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.”

Is it OK to stare in Germany?

Staring probably won't cause any lasting damage while in Germany, but if Germans take this habit with them to English speaking countries, they might find themselves in real bother.

Is pointing rude in Germany?

This is considered a rude gesture. Don't point your index finger to your own head. This is an insult.

Is insult a crime in Germany?

Germany. Insult (Beleidigung) is punishable by prison up to one year or by fine. If the insult is committed in public or by assault, the penalty is prison up to two years or a fine.

How do you compliment in German?

Can you get sued for insulting someone in Germany?

§ 185 StGB: “The penalty for insult is imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or a fine and, if the insult is committed by means of an assault, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine.” Under German defamation law, an insult can be considered a crime.

How does a German hold up three fingers?

A true German would have ordered "three" with the index, middle finger, and thumb extended.

Are Germans friendly?

Germans themselves are known as friendly and welcoming people, even if everyone thinks we have a nonexistent sense of humor. The country also boasts two millennia of history that, for good and bad, shaped the world as we know it today.

Can I do laundry on Sunday in Germany?

Actually, doing any kind of work is highly frowned upon on Sundays. Hanging your laundry out in Germany on a Sunday means that you are working. And the worst part is that it means that you have run your washing machine which produced noise on a Sunday!

What are some strange laws in Germany?

Why do German toilets have a shelf?

Instead of excretions making the plunge straight into the water, this toilet has a prominent shelf midway to catch everything. The natural question is why, oh why!, would Germans create this? And Germans have a practical, disgusting answer. I m told that the shelf is indeed to catch one's leavings for examination.

What is the German mentality?

Germans are stoic people who strive for perfectionism and precision in all aspects of their lives. They do not admit faults, even jokingly, and rarely hand out compliments. At first their attitude may seem unfriendly, but there is a keen sense of community and social conscience and a desire to belong.