Culture Tips - Did I Shake Your Hand Too Hard?

When learning language, learning cultural "do's and don'ts" can be really valuable. Of course, being able to say "Encantado de concerte" is important to meeting someone who doesn't speak your language, but nonverbal communication makes up a very high percentage of what you end up communicating.

So something as simple as how you shake a person's hand can say as much as your words!

For example, I learned this tip from a Korean friend of mine the other day. When shaking hands, he asked me "Is it the custom in the US to shake hands firmly, or to shake hands lightly?" Being a man, I of course replied "Firmly!"

Without thinking of whom we are shaking hands with, we usually default to whatever the most appropriate thing is in our culture. My friend told me, however, that it is most polite to shake hands lightly in Korea.

Had I not know him, and greeted him "Anyang ha sayo," while shaking hands, my fine use of a Korean greeting might have been completely undermined by a firm, and impolite, handshake!

Here's an article on the topic.