If you ever call them out on it, condescending people will probably say something like, “Chill out,” or, “Relax. ” This is a way of belittling your feelings, and it’s very patronizing.

Sometimes, condescending people will interrupt you to correct you about a fact or your pronunciation (and they probably won’t be very polite about it, either).

Condescending people might also pat you on the head to belittle you (kind of like how you’d pat a child or a dog) or look down their nose at you. It might be subtle to them, but you’ll definitely notice it.

For instance, maybe you and a coworker disagree about how to start a work project. A condescending person might say something like, “Well, I would agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong. ”

Say something like, “Hey, what did you mean when you said that I probably wouldn’t understand that joke?”

Try something like, “You said ‘I’d tell you this joke, but I don’t think you’d understand it. ’ Do you think that I’m not smart enough to get your jokes?”

You might say something like, “What you said was pretty condescending. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t joke around like that again. ” If you’re dealing with a condescending coworker, it might also be a good idea to talk with your boss about it. That way, they can have a conversation with your coworker and help foster communication between you two.

For example, you could say, “You probably know all about this, right?” or, “Are you familiar with this concept?” Here’s the important part: if someone says they are familiar with something, don’t explain it to them. Condescending people will sometimes keep going with their explanation, even when they’ve been told they don’t need to.

For instance, in this scenario you might say, “I know you’ve driven here a couple of times before. Do you need directions or are you good to go?”

Communication is key here, especially if you’re upset about something. Instead of letting your anger out passively, sit down with your partner and explain why you’re upset. Then, you two can talk it out and come up with a solution together.