Most people in Germany say everyday interactions have grown less friendly, even though they still see themselves as polite. A YouGov survey for language app Babbel found 59% believe the tone of daily life is harsher than five years ago, while 85% consider themselves courteous.
Older respondents were more likely to report a decline: 65% of Baby Boomers said manners had worsened, compared with 39% of younger people. Regional differences emerged too, with residents rating Hamburg as the most polite and Bremen the least.
Road traffic was identified as the chief hotspot for rudeness (61%), while only 15% named the workplace as particularly unfriendly. Political affiliation showed smaller variations: 10% of Left party supporters flagged tone issues, versus 16% of CDU/CSU backers and 15% of Social Democrat voters. The highest concerns came from supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany and the populist-left BSW, both at 19%.
Babbel said the results point to a perceived need to improve everyday courtesy, especially in direct, face-to-face interactions.