Hand Gestures to Learn Before Traveling to Europe

Around the globe, every culture possesses its own cache of hand gestures to which citizens give little thought. They become an almost innate part of daily life and require the utmost concentration to change or alter. Therefore, when traveling to new countries and cultures, it is vital to research and keep in mind the hand gestures and facial expressions that can mean something completely different to an entire subset of people.

When visiting Europe, for example, members of some cultures use the following hand gestures to convey messages that may be lost on foreigners. The chin flick (swiping the underside of your chin with the tips of your fingers) indicates disinterest or boredom in Italy and Greece, but in Portugal, locals use it to indicate they do not know something.

One frequent and often-imitated gesture in Italy is the upward cupped hand. Italians employ this gesture when they want to emphasize or question something. But repeating vertical movements of the hand can mean a person thinks you are dumb.

Tapping your nose with the tip of one finger in France or Belgium can mean that what is discussed should be kept a secret, or that someone or something could be threatening. In France, using two fingers to tap your nose can mean something is easy.