As an American who doesn’t live in the United States, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve introduced myself to someone and heard, “Oh, but you don’t look American!” This is usually said as a compliment, but what it sounds like to me is, “But you don’t fit all of the stereotypes I have in my mind about Americans!”
Every country has stereotypes, and some are probably harmless. So what if Italians are passionate about their cuisine, and the French are passionate about their language? But how accurate are these assumptions that are carried across the globe? Redditors have recently been addressing the most common stereotypes about their nations, so we’ve gathered their thoughts down below. Enjoy learning about the nations below, and keep reading to find a conversation with Momentous Institute’s Clinical Director, Alina Ramirez, Ph.D., LCSW-S!
#1
Irishman here, I’m too drunk to answer this properly
Image source: The-Joc, Tembela Bohle
#2
I’m English. Yes, we are reserved, yes we do queue in an orderly fashion and yes we will colonise you and add your culinary distinctiveness to our own.
Image source: Kian-Tremayne, Xiangkun ZHU
#3
I am from Azerbaijan. And because of the country’s name many think we are a super religious country like Iran, Afghanistan, and etc.
In fact we are not. We are the 5th most secular country in the world and religion doesn’t play a role for us like it does for many other countries. We really arent religious.
Image source: Upstairs-Fee-7085, RDNE Stock project
#4
As an Italian, yes. Keep in mind that most stereotypes about Italy are actually about South Italy. But we do eat pasta and pizza like every day and we do say “mamma mia” in every sentence. We can’t help it.
Image source: Purple_Onion911, Muffin Creatives
#5
When I was living in Japan, someone told me this. “Americans are stupid but clever, whereas the French are clever but stupid. We Japanese are polite but rude, whereas you Brits are rude but polite.”
Image source: FleshEmoji
#6
We Scots do tend to swear a f*****g lot.
Image source: ducknerd2002, Tima Miroshnichenko
#7
Aussie stereotype very true.
Very laid back
Up for a laugh
Always rubbishing each other
Don’t mind a drink
Friendly
Very good at avoiding dangerous animals
Image source: Browndog888, Helena Lopes
#8
From NZ
I asked my ex girlfriend this question.
She just looked at me with her curls hanging over her dark brown eyes, her face looking full of confusion.
She didn’t seem to understand what I was asking but she’s always been the quiet one I suppose and not keen on confrontation.
I was getting annoyed at this point but I needed to know.
I asked her again but she turned away from me and screamed
Baaaaaaaaaa!
Image source: WhosSaidWhatNow, Tonia Kraakman
#9
Canadian and yes. Kinda.
Super polite, fake and apologetic. Not to be f****d with but not the sort to start s**t either. Will avoid conflict until it’s unavoidable, and then it’s time for war crimes. Also poutine, plaid shirts and a loud minority of subtle racism.
Image source: Anti-Climacdik, Andrea Piacquadio
#10
Canadian here. Yes, the stereotypes are true. Sorry.
Image source: shockandale
#11
Brazil: football (soccer) is a f*****g religion.
#12
I’m Portuguese and I’m short, heavy, hairy and love wine, cheese and woman.
Image source: kajox420
#13
I am totally tired of the stereotype that Finns are somehow super alcoholic. Alcohol consumption is in line with similar European countries, and I don’t think it’s really that accepted anymore to drink a lot. Back in the day, this was kind of a game of how much you can drink in one sitting. But, the new generation sees this sort of behavior as hickish. There’s also not much of a culture of constant or daytime drinking. Most jobs require you to be sober during the working day. I’ve seen literally only two people drink during the working day, this was at 4 pm and one of them wasn’t even Finnish to begin with.
Another one is “shy” or “silent”. I think this stems from misunderstanding of Finnish politeness customs. Finns have a very steep gradient in how intensively they interact with total strangers vs. close relations like family or close friends. If they don’t know you, they’re trying to keep out of your way and not bother you with useless small talk, and that’s polite.
Image source: RRautamaa, rebcenter moscow
#14
The stereotypes about us Americans are exaggerated for sure, but not without merit.
Image source: JoeCensored, David Dibert
#15
Yes we live in windmills and we wear wooden shoes. We all cultivate tulips and c******s and everyone is high as f**k all the time
Image source: TestosteronInc, wikipedia.org
#16
Romanians are not gypsies, gypsies are a minority, and the country it looks and is a lot better than you imagine it to be…just check out some travel vlogs from foreigners.
Image source: Progenitor_Pilgrim, lamblukas
#17
I’m Danish and I’m miserable. Go figure.
Image source: hasjloes_i_humlebaek, Engin Akyurt
#18
Italians seductive? F**k no, we are a bunch of dumb misogynists (men) and pretentious pricks (women) with absolutely no right to be lol
I have so many international friends and not one of them was happy after dating an Italian 😂
Image source: knowledgeispower__
#19
Nobody sat next to each other, talked, or even smiled to other people during the entire bus trip this morning.
I’m norwegian alright.
Image source: tourmaps
#20
Irish
Laid back and friendly: Check
Cripplingly cynical and judgemental: Check
Image source: Suspicious_Kick9467
#21
We love good bread – yes, 100%
Cars – yes, loads of elder folks are very peculiar about their cars and speed limit debates. It’s getting less in the younger generations.
Bureaucracy – somehow even worse than its reputation
Rude/harsh – you get a******s in every country. I don’t think the average person is ruder than an average person from somewhere else. We are distant with strangers. The only people who aren’t distant are those looking to be an a*****e. The nice folks exist, they just don’t randomly go talk to strangers.
Beer – yes, a lot, and a lot of good beer. Except Kölsch, that one sucks.
Dirndl/Lederhosn – regional traditional clothes, only worn on some occasion by some people in the southern region. Not really a thing for like two thirds of the population.
Rammstein – apparently one of the biggest associations foreigners have with Germany. For most Germans, it’s a “hate them or love them, no inbetween” type of situation.
Image source: ArmyOfGayFrogs, Flo Maderebner
#22
I’m Danish, you’d usually hear that all Scandinavian (not just the Swedish) are “cold”.
It’s kind of true, but not really. I think we tend to be more reserved than the southern Europeans for example, we also don’t for friendships as easily as others, but the friendships we do have tend to last for life and be very loyal! It can be really hard to get new friends as an adult and particularly an immigrant, not because we don’t want to, but it takes **a lot** of time and effort! We also don’t say hello to random strangers we see on the street, we also don’t say “how are you doing?” to someone unless we really do want to know, we actually hardly speak to people we don’t know, especially not strangers passing by in the street, the metro or elsewhere in public.
So in summary, I think we may come off as cold to strangers, but I don’t think it’s at all true when it comes to people that know each other. I also think that people living in the city are less likely to talk to strangers than someone living in a small town in the countryside.
Get a Dane drunk however and they’ll most likely be pretty chatty.
Image source: GeronimoDK, David Kouakou
#23
Fat American checking in here. I don’t own any guns but pretty much everyone I know does. And as an Austin Tx native. I’m pretty liberal, love music and eat tacos and bbq all the time.
Image source: ATXKLIPHURD
#24
Greece: yes we are loud, we are always late and we religiously believe we have the best food in the world.
However, we dont smash plates screaming opa on a daily basis. I’d say keep that for a wedding and if that!! Kinda starts to die
Image source: Various-Moment-6774
#25
I’m from London and I constantly hear “the land of knives and stabbing”
Is it true? Sort of. Knife crime is definitely a problem but you have a higher chance of witnessing or you yourself being robbed than being stabbed.
The UK having bad food; I disagree. The UK has the best range and quality of ethnic food in Europe. If I want curry, Thai, Mexican, Japanese food, I can probably find a good and close to authentic place in the bigger cities. London especially.
#26
People say french (but especially Parisiens) are rude and arrogant or something. I’ve been to other countries and spoke to non-french people and it just seemed like they had much more of a “filter” than french people do so that might explain it.
Image source: Totallynotatrollguys, Pixabay
#27
**Sweden: Stereotyped as tall, slender, and blond, with a strong commitment to gender equality and a problem with alcohol. They are also viewed as somewhat arrogant and unfriendly by their Scandinavian neighbors.**
**Finland: Seen as introverted, silent, and fond of vodka, with a stereotype that includes living in the woods and a strong sauna culture.**
**Denmark: Known for a high quality of life, punctuality, and being reserved yet open-minded and easygoing. Danes are also stereotypically heavy drinkers.**
**Netherlands: Perceived as tall, liberal, and cycling enthusiasts, with a global image of being constantly stoned due to liberal drug policies. The country is also seen as the unofficial gay capital of Europe and somewhat frugal.**
**Belgium: Known for a love of chips, beer, and comic books, with a complex political system. There’s a mutual stereotype between Dutch and French speakers within the country.**
**Germany: Viewed as efficient, disciplined, and car lovers, but also as stiff and lacking a sense of humor.**
**Austria: Described as hardworking, serious, and traditional, with a love for winter sports and a strong sense of domestic life.**
**Switzerland: Stereotyped as reserved, punctual, and obsessed with privacy and financial frugality.**
**Italy: Seen as fashion-conscious, talkative, and passionate about football and family, with a stereotype that includes a deep connection to traditional foods like pizza and pasta.**
**Czechia: Known for beautiful women and a love of beer and absinthe, with a rich history in crystal and Art Nouveau.**
**Slovakia: Described as bad-tempered, with a dark sense of humor and a stereotype of being heavy drinkers.**
**Poland: Stereotyped as religious and hard-drinking, with a complex relationship with Catholicism and alcohol.**
**The British: Known for drinking tea, eating scones, and possessing a quick wit and sarcasm that entertains the rest of Europe.**
**The French: Famous for wearing stripes, eating onions and berets, and being considered rude, a stereotype that even French respondents acknowledge.**
**Italians: Seen as passionate, generous, and family-oriented, with a strong emphasis on traditional values.**
Image source: glokz, NastyaSensei
#28
I always thought that Germans were really nice. The language sounds harsh, the people aren’t By nationality, I’m Belgian and Luxembourgish. They each love talking about stereotypes of the other country, so I get to hear about them all the time. Belgians are apparently dumb and drunk all the time. Dumb? No, but the prime minister singing La Marseillaise instead of the Belgian anthem did not help with that particular stereotype. Drunk? They do love their beer, but to be entirely honest, the Luxembourgish tend to drink a lot more often in my experience. Luxembourgers (the word always cracks me up) are apparently stuck-up, rich and narrow-minded. To be entirely honest, some are are stuck-up and narrow-minded, but it tends to be my generation. They grew up with parents who were able to make a lot of money just because they were in the right country at the right time (and worked for it!). The older generation has been able to get good, well-paying jobs without a the degrees that would be required nowadays. But, they worked hard and they took advantage of Luxembourg’s languages (German, English, French). They tend to have a lot of general knowledge and common sense. The younger generation on the other hand, often seemed to expect to go down the same path as their parents and grandparents, but in a world where degrees are an absolute must. A lot don’t speak the languages (I’ve even met some that only speak Luxembourgish) and lack the common sense and general knowledge that the older generation has. The older generation has raised a very entitled younger generation, who is growing up in a country where the price of life is constantly rising and who will soon not be able to live there anymore.
Image source: ChickenHead1450, Paul Deetman
#29
We Italians are seductive, spend half of our day in front of the mirror, and constantly gesticulate when we talk.
Image source: Il-cacatore, Sagar Kumar
#30
Americans are an arrogant lot.
Image source: SuperSocks2019, cottonbro studio
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