Friday 13th: Superstitions from Around the World

When the 13th day of a month falls on a Friday, it is traditionally considered to be unlucky in many countries around the world, including the UK. However, as you’ll probably discover if you choose to study abroad, superstitions like this vary a lot from country-to-country. Here are just a few national differences.

Alessandro Ferraro, an Italian physicist who is now based in London, UK, says that in Italy it’s not Friday 13th which is seen as unlucky – but Friday 17th instead.

There’s also a slight variation on another UK superstition. Whereas in the UK, it’s traditional to quickly touch some wood if you mention something you don’t want to happen, in Italy the ‘lucky’ material to touch is iron.

In Spain, it’s not the date but the day which varies – rather than Friday 13th, Tuesday 13th is traditionally unlucky.

Mercedes Aguirre, a PhD student from Spain who is currently at UCL, London, says there’s a common saying which goes, “Martes, ni te cases ni te embarques.” This means, “On a Tuesday, don't get married or go on a boat trip.”

However, her favourite superstitious saying is quite simply “lagarto lagarto” – meaning “lizard lizard”. Mercedes says it’s fairly common to hear people saying this after doing something seen as bringing bad luck, such as walking under a ladder; she doesn’t know the history behind this, but it makes her smile!

Anne Hanik, a study abroad advisor at the University of Augsburg, says that in Germany there are many similarities with the UK – including the Friday 13th superstition.

One difference between the two countries is that in Germany, broken pieces (except for glass or mirror) are seen as lucky omens. This explains the tradition of holding a ‘polterabend’ before a wedding – an event in which guests break old dishes and other pieces of porcelain, to generate good luck for the couple.

New Zealand too has many superstitions in common with the UK, largely as a result of having once been a British colony. So Friday 13th is traditionally unlucky – though according to University of Auckland student Jonathan Wrait, this belief is “not taken particularly seriously.”

Jonathan adds that the country has also inherited superstitions from many other cultures, including Māori society. One traditional Māori belief is that if a fantail (a type of bird) flies into your home, something bad is going to happen.

In India, says KIIT University student Siddhant Sadangi, signs of bad luck include wailing dogs, being crossed by a black cat, and walking under a ladder.

He adds that shoes left upside-down traditionally foretell a death in the family, and “when leaving for something very important, you should not return until it’s done or you will be unsuccessful.”

Friday 13th is not considered unlucky in India, and Siddhant says there are no superstitions attached to the number 13. But, he says, “Fridays in general are not considered auspicious days.”

Now, over to you! Is there an ‘unlucky’ day or number in your country? What other traditional beliefs have you observed? Share your thoughts in our student community.