Germans Can't Answer "How Are You?"

A simple question causes a complex problem in German culture. "Wie geht's?" ("How are you?") often feels like a trick, due to a deep cultural dislike of superficial answers. This was made clear to writer Carolin Würfel during a conversation with a Turkish friend in Turkey. After being asked how she was, she would avoid a personal answer. Instead, she discussed politics or large-scale worries. Her friend pointed this out, noting she never said how she actually felt. Würfel, who lives in Berlin and Istanbul, later realized he was correct. The experience suggests that for many Germans, the common greeting requires a serious response—or no answer at all.