17 Must-Know Italian Hand Gestures and Their Meanings (2024)

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Co-authored byAly Rusciano

Last Updated: September 22, 2023Fact Checked

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1. Pinch your fingers together to express disbelief or frustration. Also known as il gesto del carciofo or mano a borsa, the pinched fingers gesture is an Italian staple. Italians will often shake pinched fingers in your face if they’re upset or flabbergasted.

   • To make this gesture: Touch your fingers and thumb together and shake your wrist.
   • What to say: “Ma che cosa vuoi?” (“What are you doing?”)
   • Similarly, use the 🤌 emoji for the same effect (i.e., when you can’t believe what a friend said).^[1]

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1. Make prayer hands as a sign of irony. When an Italian sassily puts their hands together in prayer, they’re likely saying, “Oh, please.” They’re rolling their eyes and expressing disagreement or distaste for something or someone.

   • To make this gesture: Press the palms of your hands together in front of your chest.
   • What to say: “Ti prego!” (“Oh, please!”) or “Ma dai!” (“Come on!”)
   • Sometimes, this gesture is used to also plea or beg for something, especially when asking someone for a favor.^[2]

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1. Kiss the tips of your fingers to express bliss. More often than not, if someone bunches together their fingers and brings them to their lips, they’re satisfied or something is wonderful.

   • To make this gesture: Press your fingers into your thumbs and bring your hand to your lips.
   • What to say: “Proprio da bacio.” (“It’s absolutely kiss-worthy.”)

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1. Create a ring with your thumb and index finger to say something’s perfect. Many people place their pointer finger on their thumb and flare out their other fingers to show that something or someone is extraordinary.^[3]

   • To make this gesture: Place your pointer finger on the tip of your thumb and flick out your hand.
   • What to say: “Perfetto!” (“Perfect!”)

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1. Open and close your fingers to express fear. More often than not, an Italian will hold up a hand and repeatedly open and close their fingers to say something’s scary or frightening.

   • To make this gesture: Hold up a hand with your fingers pointing up. Press your thumb into your fingers, then open and close your fingers as if your hand is talking.
   • What to say: “Paura.” (“Scary.”)
   • Do this gesture sparingly, as it can come across as insulting.

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1. Shake a hand perpendicular to the floor to show distaste. If someone waves a hand to the side at you, it’s typically not a good sign. This gesture means “Get lost” or “I can’t stand you.”

   • To make this gesture: Hold your hand horizontally to the ground and flick your wrist outward.
   • What to say: “Vai, vai, vai!” (“Go away!”)

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1. Flick your fingers under your chin as a sign of indifference. If they place their chin on the top of their fingers, chances are they don’t care what you have to say.^[4]

   • To make this gesture: Flatten your fingers palm down and place them under your chin. Then, flick your fingers out toward the person you’re talking to.
   • What to say: “Fatti tuoi.” (“None of my business.”)

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1. Tap your fingers side-by-side to say people are getting along. Italians often make this gesture to show that two people are close friends or good acquaintances.

   • To make this gesture: Hold your index fingers side-by-side and curl the rest of your fingers into your palms. Then, repeatedly tap the sides of your index fingers together.
   • What to say: “Andate proprio d’accordo, eh?” ("You really get along, don’t you?”)

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1. Rub your thumb, index, and middle finger together to symbolize wealth. Italians bring a hand up to their face and make this gesture when discussing "soldi" or money.

   • To make this gesture: Press your index and middle finger into the top of your thumb and rub them back and forth.
   • What to say: “È tutta una questione di soldi.” (“It’s all a matter of money.”)

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1. Pretend to tap a watch to show a need to check the time. If someone extends an arm and taps their wrist repeatedly with their pointer finger, they’re likely saying, “You’re late” or “Hurry up!”

   • To make this gesture: Hold out an arm and tap your extended wrist with the pointer finger of your other hand.
   • What to say: “Sei in ritardo, eh!” (“You’re late, you know!”)

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1. Make a horn with your hand to theoretically ward off danger. If someone holds a hand out to you with only their index and pinkie finger raised, chances are they think you’re up to no good. This gesture is often referred to as fare le corna or “to make the horns.”

   • To make this gesture: Raise your index and pinkie fingers and hold your middle and ring fingers with your thumb.
   • What to say: “Tiè!” (“Take that!”)
   • This gesture looks the same as the Western’s “rock” or "horns" hand symbol, although they have drastically different meanings.

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1. Make a fist repeatedly to show impatience. Italians often hold out both hands and open and close their fingers to say, “Get to the point already!” Basically, it’s a sign that someone’s fed up or growing impatient with a conversation or person.

   • To make this gesture: Hold your hands out, palms up, and make a fist over and over again.
   • What to say: “Ok, taglia corto!” (“Okay, get to the point!”)

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1. Tap your fingers down on the chest to say you hate something. Say you’re talking to a person about someone else. If they tap the side of their hand to their chest repeatedly with their fingers pointed down, they’re saying, “I don’t like them.”^[5]

   • To make this gesture: Hit your thumb to your chest and loosen your wrist so your fingers point down.
   • What to say: “Mi sta proprio antipatico.” (“I really don’t like them.”)

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1. Strike a line across your cheek to say someone is sneaky. If someone makes an imaginary line across their cheek from their eye to their lip with their thumb, they’re likely saying something or someone is clever. This hand gesture isn’t as common, but many Italians still use it.

   • To make this gesture: Form a fist and draw the thumb from an eye to the lips.
   • What to say: “Sei furbo eh” (“You’re clever, aren’t you?”)

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1. Fan your hands up and down to ask someone to relax. This hand gesture is pretty universal and generally means to calm down, ease up, or relax. So, if someone pushes their hands down in front of their chest repeatedly with their palms facing outwards, they’re likely trying to defuse a situation.

   • To make this gesture: Hold your hands out over your stomach with your palms face down. Then, pump your arms as if you’re trying to push down an invisible meter.
   • What to say: “Stai calmo.” (“Stay calm.”)

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1. Circle a hand in front of your chest if you’re impatient. A person is likely impatient and wants you to move faster if they’re waving a hand hurriedly in front of their chest.

   • To make this gesture: Hold an arm perpendicularly to the floor and whip your hand toward your chest as if you’re trying to smell something.
   • What to say: “È andata bene.” (“It went well.”)

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1. Press a pointer finger to your cheek to say something’s delicious. While not as commonly used, Italians may press an index finger to their cheek and twist their wrist to show that something’s tasty.^[6]

   • To make this gesture: Place your index finger on your cheek and twist it in place.
   • What to say: “Che buono!” (“It’s so good!”)

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