‘Are there any subtle cultural etiquettes in the UK that foreigners might miss?’ – 23 of the quirkiest and funniest British habits

You probably think you’re a very normal kind of person as you go about your daily life, but it turns out that Britishness is something that people from other countries view with curiosity and confusion.

Over on the AskUk subreddit, user Swimming_Buy3772 asked” ‘Are there any subtle cultural etiquettes in the UK that foreigners might miss?’ and followed up with some observations of our innate oddness:

I’ve recently moved to the UK, and I’m eager to fit in seamlessly with local culture. One thing I’ve noticed is that people seem to queue really meticulously here, and I’ve realized it’s more than just lining up—there’s almost an art to it. It got me thinking about other cultural norms and etiquette rules that might not be immediately obvious to an outsider like me.

‘For example, when I first arrived, a colleague mentioned that saying “sorry” frequently is more of an expression of politeness rather than an actual apology for specific wrongdoing, which was quite eye-opening. Understanding these subtleties can make everyday interactions a bit smoother, and I’d love to hear if there are any other nuances I should pick up on.

And people were keen to chip in with their thoughts.

1.

‘If someone greets you with ‘Hey, how are you?’. It’s not an invitation to tell them how you are physically/mentally, it’s purely a greeting and the correct response is ‘Good, mate, you?’. Then you carry on with your conversation.’
–southcoastal

2.

‘Brits often use subtle hints to end conversations, like ‘Right, I should probably let you get on’ or ‘Well, I’ll leave you to it’. That’s usually a cue for you to gracefully wrap up the conversation without dragging them on.

In general though, Brits have mastered the art of indirect communication. There are so many more examples of this but it’s quite nuanced and just something that will take time to pick up!’
–Accurate_Prompt_8800

3.

”A bloody nightmare’ = a mild inconvenience.

‘Not ideal’ = my actions might have just condemned humanity to a painful death.’
–carl84

4.

‘Do not use English as a synonym for British. They are not the same thing.’
–HotButteredBagel

5.

‘If someone invites you to visit but isn’t specific on when, it is a general expression of friendliness not an actual invite.’
–Timely_Egg_6827

6.

‘I would also say; Brits like their space. I’ve never paid much attention to it but every culture draws the invisible line on what is ‘too close’ a little differently.

In some countries it’s quite normal to get right up in people’s personal space and that’s considered normal. In the UK don’t do that, it’s considered intimidating and threatening.’
–Bat_Flaps

7.

‘Banter. Hard to grasp why people you barely know would make fun of you or accuse you of something until you realise it’s not serious. Definitely an interesting dry wit associated with it.’
–Plodo99

8.

‘The more friendly you get with a ‘mate’ the ruder and more mean to you they will become.’
–Glanwy

9.

‘Bus drivers and other public service people in some areas might call you ‘love’ or ‘duck’ or in some regions even ‘my lover’ – they aren’t coming on to you in a romantic sense – it’s just a greeting.’
–NeverHxppy

10.

‘If you see someone washing their car, you must say ‘Do mine next?’. And then both chuckle as you part ways.’
–alltorque1982

11.

‘Going for ‘a pint’ rarely means one single pint, especially not north of the Watford Gap.’
–SilasMarner77