This study investigates misunderstandings between Germans and Arabs caused by politeness. The data are mostly conversations in the course of private social gatherings. Gumperz' approach to intercultural communication and Brown/Levinson's theory of politeness supply the theoretical framework for the study. The two-sided concept of 'face' - distancing (negative face) and rapprochement (positive face) - points up cultural differences. Germans attach great importance to privacy and individuality, while Arabs prefer in-group relations.