Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Vocabulary of the Fingers and Hands
When counting in France, 'one' is the thumb.
The index finger and thumb extended together
means 'two'. So putting up an index finger to
mean 'one' is confusing to French people. Do you
mean 'one' (the thumb) or 'two' (the thumb and
index i nger)?
Don't ever snap your i ngers at a person, anywhere.
That is rude and condescending.
One or several i ngers circling at the temple means
'that guy is crazy' (
dingue
) and is usually accompanied
by a goofy expression.
Holding one's nose with the i st and faking a turn
indicates 'that guy is drunk'. (
Il est saoul.
) A condition
always to be ridiculed.
Kissing the tips of one's i ngers means 'delicious',
whether it is the food at the table or a woman walking
down the street.
Pulling the right cheek downward at the eye, with the
right hand means, 'I don't believe it'. (Literal:
mon
œil
as in 'my foot'.)
The 'OK' circle made with the tip of the thumb
and index fingers touching means the number
'zero', or worthless. But some people now use it to
mean 'OK', especially if accompanied by a pucker
of the lips.
Thumbs down—bad. Thumbs up means Super!
The i ngers l at against the lips with eyes open
means, 'Oops, I made a mistake'. No verbal comment
is necessary.
Shaking the i ngers of the right hand in front of the
chest means great surprise and excitement, positive
or negative, and is appropriately accompanied by an
'Ooh, la, la!'
Raising the shoulders, the classic French shrug,
this means 'This is ridiculous' or 'So what can
anyone do?'
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