Gen Z are killing off polite phrases such as ‘pardon’ and ‘excuse me’

'Huh?' and 'what?' are becoming the new norm

It seems that Gen Z is killing off traditional polite phrases such as 'excuse me?' and instead opting for more blunt alternatives like 'come again?' (18%), 'eh?' (13%), 'you what?' (11%), or even 'I zoned out' (6%).

In reality, and very true to Gen Z fashion, they often feel too awkward to ask someone to repeat themselves, so instead, simply nod in agreement (51%).

The large majority (81%) admit they frequently pretend to understand what's being said when background noise makes it difficult to hear others.

Samsung commissioned the survey in celebration of the arrival of the Galaxy Z Fold7, which comes with an audio feature that removes background noise from videos, helping people hear what matters.

VP of product and marketing at the tech company, Annika Bizon, said: "We’ve all been there – trying to have a chat in a noisy bar or restaurant and ending up none the wiser.

"People are constantly battling background noise, and it’s not just annoying – it can stop you from really connecting in the moment.

"It’s no surprise that more people are looking to their tech to help cut through the chaos.

"That’s exactly why we developed Audio Eraser – to help people capture clearer sound in the moments that matter."

Additionally, the poll results show that across all age groups, 74% of adults struggle to hear conversations in busy places like restaurants and bars.

70% go as far as to say that an experience like this can be quite frustrating, as a result 83% rely on a mix of rehearsed phrases to ask others to repeat themselves.

The majority of poll-takers don't just think noisy environments are annoying, but believe they can make it harder to emotionally connect during a conversation.