8 Things That Are Considered Rude In The Dominican Republic

The people of the Dominican Republic are characterized by being very expressive, cheerful, and exuberant, these traits are typical of the Caribbean people.

But on the other side of the coin, very emotional people get angry and offended very easily, especially in the Dominican Republic, there are certain issues and actions, which must be taken into account because they can be seen by the locals as rude.

If you don’t know much about the social culture in the Dominican Republic, and you want to visit someday, you will be interested to know 8 things considered rude in the Dominican Republic.

Perhaps many of these things are pure common sense, but perhaps they are not so common in other countries.

Contents

1-Disrespecting lines of people

In the Dominican Republic, it is customary to wait in line for many things, this is something that has been modernized a little, for example in commercial banks.

But if you get to a place in the Dominican Republic, and you see a line of people, you must be very careful to go ahead because that is something very rude and very annoying to the Dominicans, they will make claims immediately.

If you are disoriented, the best thing to do is to ask what the line is for.

2-trash-talking the country

I am aware that this topic is directed to foreigners, the Dominican Republic is not a perfect country, there are many things to complain about.

In fact, you will see many Dominicans complaining about the country, but, if you are a foreigner, it is frowned upon by the locals to criticize the country, this is certainly seen as a rude and arrogant action.

3-Refusing food

This is something very common among the locals in the Dominican Republic, refusing food can be considered an offense.

I have been forced to eat on some occasions that I have visited some small towns, I have refused food and I have noticed how people take it as a great offense, in some cases, they practically force me to eat without accepting excuses.

That is, if you visit a home, in some small town in the Dominican Republic, and they serve you a meal and bring it right to you, you better not make excuses and eat it, or the people will be very offended.

4-Watch your steps

I imagine it’s the same all over the world, but just in case, I have to tell you, Dominicans hate to have their shoes stomped on, even if it’s unintentional.

If you step on someone’s shoes in the Dominican Republic, you should apologize immediately to avoid major problems.

5-giving people a bad look

If you’ve had a bad day, or just look like you’re angry, try to soften your gaze when looking at locals in the Dominican Republic, it’s considered rude to give someone a dirty look, If you stare at a man it could be understood as a challenge.

Apart from that, looking at the locals with airs of superiority is also a rude gesture, do not treat the locals as inferior people, Dominicans have great pride and are easily offended when someone wants to “trample” them.

6-Making demands

The Dominicans by nature or history are extremely rebellious, people in the Dominican Republic do not like to be made demands, even if on many occasions they are not right.

Instead of making demands, a local will understand better if you ask for something in favor or in a considerate way, for example, if he is blocking your way or if he is making a lot of noise.

They will not see you as a weak person, most Dominicans simply feel the demands as an act of rudeness and react in the same way.

7-Confusing Dominicans with Haitians

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share a border, they are two nations on the same island, but for a Dominican to be confused with a Haitian is very offensive.

This would rarely happen, as the Dominican Republic is already better known than Haiti, at least as a tourist destination. Although there may be physical similarities, there are many cultural differences between the two countries.

8-Being too stingy

It’s good to be frugal, but in the Dominican Republic being too stingy or showing a bad attitude when tipping is seen as a rude gesture.

I’m not going to lie to you, Dominicans love to be tipped, I’m referring to those who work in tourist centers, it is not necessary to tip everyone, only those who deserve it.

If you receive help from a local, thank them with a tip, in case you don’t have a small change, apologize and tell them you don’t have a small change and that will be enough.

In case you don’t want to or can’t tip, avoid receiving “help” from the locals who approach you, with a simple “no thank you”, show a friendly attitude, without appearing weak, but don’t be obnoxious, you must maintain a balance.

Do not assume a hateful attitude, this only makes things worse.

What other things are considered rude in the Dominican Republic?

Other things that are very common, but should not be overlooked, are to say thank you consistently, good morning, good afternoon, ec.

Dominicans greet a lot, even if they don’t know others, returning the greeting is an accepted act of courtesy.

You must be very careful not to scratch or “mishandle” the doors of the cabs you board, as well as how you place the luggage in the cab. Ideally, you should do everything very delicately.

If you are walking on a sidewalk and there is a building with the Dominican flag, if at the moment you are crossing they are raising or lowering the flag, you should stop until the process is finished, not stopping is seen as a very offensive gesture, no matter if you are a foreigner.

You should not wear a cap if they are singing the Dominican national anthem, that is offensive.

It is considered rude to arrive at a place where there are people eating and not say “buen provecho” (bon apetit), although this is understandable for foreigners who do not speak Spanish.

Pointing at people with the index finger also symbolizes an act of rudeness in the Dominican Republic.

In case you speak Spanish, you should avoid certain topics, for example, religious or sports topics, Dominicans are mostly catholic, so be careful if you are going to speak against the Virgin Mary.

Regarding sports, many Dominicans idolize native baseball players, you should be very careful about criticizing a Dominican baseball player.

Regarding political history, there are certain historical figures that Dominicans do not like, so you should avoid talking about them.

If you know Spanish, many Dominicans do not like to mention the word “diablo” out loud, this is considered rude and could also be interpreted as an invocation.

The word “diablo” is used as an expression among younger people, but don’t use it in front of middle-aged or older people.

Smoking in public is also considered a rude action in the Dominican Republic, as well as getting drunk in places where alcohol is not being consumed.

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