Fuck me. That’s shit. What a wanker! All genuine points made. Swear words often speak to our fears, taboos and sense of humour. This is where cultures differ. And what we swear by can be also cultural.
The French go big on prostitution: putain is what you say if something’s gone wrong, is not working. It literally means “whore” i.e. a major fuck-up. Quel bordel – such a brothel – bloody hell, what a mess. On the other hand, je te jure (I swear to you): I’m telling you the absolute truth; you won’t believe it, seriously. Word is enough. Je m’en fous – “I fuck of it” – I couldn’t care less, I’m not bothered.
Bulgarians will swear on nothing and yet work with someone’s mother has a huge variety of meanings. Did I fuck his mother? Do I look like I know? And I’ve gone and fucked your mother – you are on the way to good karma. Ask them questions though about their sex lives and they will blank you out of the country. “How was it?” “What happened?” Why, does it involve you?!
If in doubt, ask sincerely. All cultures value a good heart.