What’s the difference?

The first thing that you need to be aware of is the different ways that people greet each other. Hellos are almost like a ritual, with many ways to be performed. You’ll never offend anyone by saying “Hello, ” but you won’t impress them either. In English there are dozens of ways to greet someone, ranging from the informal “What’s crackin’? ” to the more formal “How’ve you been? ”

Saying goodbye is another part of this ritual. Depending on the relationship you have with the person and when you intend to see them next you will need to vary your approach. When saying goodbye to a friend you might say, “Catch you later bro, ” or if you want to be more formal you can say, “I wish you well.”

Hellos and goodbyes are important to mention because every interaction has them. But what about the rest of the conversation? It is important to realize that different cultures have different styles of communication. In general, Americans are very direct and will go straight to the point of the conversation. Americans tend to be less concerned with building a personal relationship than they are with the person’s ability to get the job done.

For Brazilians, his approach is quite different and may seem a little strange. Most Brazilians won’t do business with someone that they don’t have a personal relationship with, and will spend an entire meeting just getting to know someone without talking about business. Brazilians also tend to be indirect in their communication style. Instead of directly asking for something they will tell a story that explains why they need that thing and then softly ask for it.

The style that each culture has for communication doesn’t make them better or worse than another culture’s; it just means that it’s different. It is important to recognize and accept the differences that exist between cultures and try to be open to these differences.

To fully understand a language, you need to not only understand the words that are used, but the emotions behind them. It’s not enough to learn from a book and expect to be able to effectively communicate with speakers of that language. There are customs and rituals that have to be learned, and mindsets that must be understood.

The only way you will learn about the differences between cultures is by exposing yourself to them. Go study abroad, take a vacation to a foreign country, and make friends with foreigners in your city. Don’t be afraid of embarrassing yourself; its part of the process and you’ll be able to laugh about it later!