Comments on: Perpetual handshaking and timely greetings.

By: josephdietrich

josephdietrich — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:40:01 +0000

We don’t shake hands much at my workplace, but we’ve got an unusual environment there. Germans definitely like to shake hands, though. Where it gets strange for me is at parties. You go to a party, and you have to shake hands with *everyone* and tell them your name individually. No “hey all, this is Joe” from the host while you give a little wave. No, no, can’t do that. You have to work the room like a politician.

Regarding greetings, here in the middle Rhein valley I haven’t heard “Mahlzeit” much outside of actually starting a meal. Here, it’s mostly “Hallo” or “Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend.”

By: Sven

Sven — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:07:02 +0000

I like “Mahlzeit” a whole hell of a lot better than “Grüß Gott!” - to which I usually answer, “Klar, wenn ich ihn sehe.”
I tried to introduce the frequent handshaking in my office in Canada, but it didn’t really catch on. I’m not ready to stop trying, though.

By: Petra

Petra — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:53:54 +0000

Usually the knocking on the table with saying hello is used when there are too many people to greet them one by one. And mostlikely you know most of the people.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:52:23 +0000

I am an intern at a steel company in west germany and EVERYONE wants to shake hands with EVERYBODY all the time! and yes, I have witnessed both the elbow and the wrist shake. As an American, I was totally unprepared. And they all follow the greeting rules you laid out, lots of Mahlzeit…lots of it.

By: Michael(another one)

Michael(another one) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:08:26 +0000

I hate people who say “Mahlzeit”.
It really depends on the region.
I never heard about “Es gilt” or knocking on the table.
The cultural differences between South Central and Northern Germany are so serious, as are the recipes.
Let me know where you were exact in Germany

By: Andreas

Andreas — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:53:43 +0000

Shaking hands every Day is very common in France but not in Germany

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:06:58 +0000

It annoys me so much that I have posted a facebook group called
Ich grüsse nicht mit “Mahlzeit”. Schon gar nicht im WC.
I hope you dont mind me posting a link to your site. I really like it.

By: Bird of Prey

Bird of Prey — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:00:45 +0000

@Peter
“launch time”?
“..three, two, one - lift-off, we have a lift-off!”

Nichts für ungut, aber dieser kleine Verschreiber bot sich halt einfach dafür an!

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:03:29 +0000

I’m working as a programmer (also kein Handwerker) in the far west of germany, near the netherlands, and we do say “Mahlzeit” every day during launch time - and not only in the cafeteria.
Here, you shake hands only the very first time you meet someone. After that it’s “Guten Morgen” or “Mahzeit”.

By: cg5

cg5 — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:17:01 +0000

you can’t take the term “Mahlzeit” too literally. nobody actually expects you to be hungry and urging for food all mid-day.
chances are, the person you encounter midday is on his/her way to lunch, so just in case you wish them a quick and uncomplicated Mahlzeit, to cover all you bases.

I’ve lived in the States for five years now and i miss shaking everyone’s hand, it lets people know you have arrived and makes for less social awkwardness, in fact i don’t think there’s a term for awkward in german…