Etiquette Expert Tips: 10 Questions People should Not Ask

Everyone can hear a tactless question and no one is immune from asking it himself. Someone else's soul is in the dark and no one can know for sure whether the question will be inappropriate. But there are a number of topics that should be taboo for any educated person, since they are certainly unpleasant to almost everyone.

Tatiana Nikolaeva, a consultant on etiquette and business protocol, told reporters about what questions it is not customary to ask the interlocutor. It is possible that most people will take them calmly or even with humor, but you can be sure that you asked them in vain.

For some reason, it is considered that it is tactless to ask this question specifically to women. But in fact, it's better not to ask men about their age either. The fact is that nowadays most men want to look younger than their years and take care of their health, figure and appearance.

If you still need to find out the age of a person, it is better to make inquiries about him through third parties or contact social networks. Some sites in the account display the age of a person, if he, of course, indicated it during registration.

What if a similar question is asked to you, but you don't want to answer it? It is best not to spoil a relationship with a person, just laugh it off by saying that you are 98. But by naming your real age, you can also get a compliment — "You look younger than your years." In this case, do not forget to thank the interlocutor.

According to the rules of etiquette, a conversation about religion can be touched upon if the interlocutor first touched on this topic, for example, informed you that he was visiting a temple. Do not initiate such a conversation, because faith is a very intimate matter and most people do not like it when they get into the soul.

Even if you see an obvious attribute of faith on a person, for example, a cross or special clothes, this is not a reason to start discussing the topic of religion. Remember that the cross or the star of David does not always denote a religious person. Many people today wear such pendants as jewelry.

It is better not to ask about wounds and injuries of a person. Many modern women do various cosmetic procedures, after which traces or peeling remain on the skin of the face. If you focus on this, you will put the lady in an awkward position.

You should always remember that each of us is well aware of our scars and defects, so it's not worth reminding about them once again. Even a man will not necessarily flaunt his scars. You can't know under what circumstances he got them and maybe that's what he least wants to talk about.

If you meet a person in a polyclinic, then you should not immediately make inquiries about the reason why he came there. If he finds it necessary, he will share it with you. Maybe he came to an appointment with a venereologist and you will put yourself and him in an awkward position or force him to dodge, which is also not great at all.

Talking about the state of health is taboo, except when someone has become ill next to you and this information is vital. If, on the question "Are you all right?", you hear the answer "Everything is fine, it will pass now", you should not insist on continuing the conversation.

This incorrect question can have many variations and instead of hair, teeth, nails, breasts or eyelashes may appear in it. But they have one thing in common — they are completely tactless and can offend a person. If a person has increased or increased something for himself, you can talk about it only after he himself touches on this topic.

Moreover, you should not share your impressions of what you saw. It is unlikely that your interlocutor will like the question of why he enlarged his chest. There is no need to give your own assessment of what you have seen — everyone looks as it seems necessary to him and your tactlessness can destroy good relations with the interlocutor.

One of the most undesirable questions for a woman at any age. Here the topic is so delicate that it is not worth touching on it even in jest. The answer to this question may be related to special factors and even a personal tragedy, so it is better not to take risks.

The question is inappropriate for both women and representatives of the stronger half. If you were asked about when you plan to get married or get married, then it's best to answer simply — "As soon as I meet my man."

If the answer to the question is obvious, then it can be called stupid. It's also ridiculous to pretend that you don't notice someone else's pregnancy. It is better to limit your reaction to what you saw with a restrained phrase "Do I understand correctly, can I congratulate you?", and the interlocutor herself, if desired, can develop this topic and share details.

But if you are not sure why the interlocutor was heard in the waist, it is better not to touch on this topic. If the change in the figure is associated with excess weight, then this is probably a sore subject and you can make an enemy of yourself. It is not worth giving advice or sharing your experience if you have not been asked about it.

If you do not want to provoke a serious scandal, then you should carefully avoid political topics in the conversation and even more so not show interest in the opponent's political position. If in a conversation it accidentally turned out that your views coincide with the interlocutor, you can report this and support him.

But if the interests are different — avoid disputes about politics, if you do not want to spoil the relationship with the person once and for all.

Questions about whether a person has recovered or lost weight should be discussed exclusively with close people. What is the best way to answer them? You can tell the truth — "Yes, I relaxed something" or, conversely, "The month was not easy, so I lost weight." The main thing is not to show that this tactless question made you angry.

It is indecent to get into someone else's wallet, so you need to refrain from such a question, no matter how curious you are. It is best to answer it neutrally, something like "Good, enough for life." It should be taken into account that sometimes even a close person is not ready to discuss with you the issue of his salary. If you see that a person is not ready to discuss a financial issue, immediately close this topic.