Germans say what they mean
Direktheit
Germans are often very direct. "No" means no, and honest criticism is not meant as an insult.
If a German colleague says your report has three mistakes, they are trying to help, not to hurt you.
A German "no" is usually a real no. And "maybe" may also mean no. Small talk is shorter than in India, and people get to the point quickly.
„Wie geht's?“ (How are you?) is a real question for friends: they may tell you honestly that they are tired or sad. With strangers, people often do not ask at all.
The other side: you can say no too. Saying „Nein, danke“ to more food or to an extra task is completely normal.
You may hear
Ehrlich gesagt finde ich das nicht so gut.To be honest, I don't think that is very good.
India and Germany
In India people often avoid a direct "no" to be polite, and say "I will try" or "let us see". In Germany this can be misunderstood as a yes.
German words for this
- ehrlich · honest
- die Kritik · criticism
- direkt · direct
- höflich · polite
This is a custom, not a rule: families and regions differ.
Learn German with stories about Germany
On DeutschKatha you read short German stories, tap any word for its meaning in English and Indian languages, and listen to every sentence.