A Guide to Italian Body Language

A New York Times article determined that Italians use an average of 250 hand gestures to speak—every day. And honestly, that may be a light assessment.

Speaking Italian is more than using words. The language must be spoken with i gesti (the gestures), too.

In this guide, I’ll explain some of the most common aspects of Italian body language.

Contents

• Why Do Italians Talk with Their Hands?
• The Basics of Italian Body Language and Hand Gestures
• Air Knocking
• Le Corna (The Horns)
• Grattata (Scratch)
• Tapping the Two Pointer Fingers
• Eye Pull
• Forming an X Across the Lips
• Finger Over the Lips
• The Chin Scrape
• Pursed Fingers
• Cheek Poke
• Finger spin
• Temple Tap
• And One More Thing...

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Why Do Italians Talk with Their Hands?

How did this phenomenon come about?

That’s a question that no one can really answer, although there’s more than one theory of how body language and hand gestures originated.

Some attribute the expressive body language back to the ancient Greeks.

Others believe that the language of Italian gestures came out of necessity, as an influx of immigrants from across the globe forced the nation to adapt their communication methods.

Italian Carlo Aurucci explains this view and demonstrates a number of gestures in his enchanting video clip, including many of those described below. (He does an especially charming temple tap!) Beware, though: He includes a couple of naughty expressions!

Regardless of its origin, Italian body language is still going strong!

The Basics of Italian Body Language and Hand Gestures

There are a few things you should know before you try your hand at gestures. (See what I did there?)

• Each gesture has a definite meaning. There may be small differences but all gestures are, in fact, different—and that means it’s probably safest to stick to the body language you’re sure of so you don’t inadvertently insult someone!
• Italian body language and hand gestures are used to place emphasis on a spoken conversation. Think of it like putting text in bold or underlining a pertinent fact.
• In addition to adding emphasis, Italians also use body language to tell stories, ask questions, provide explanations and express emotions (like showing love or anger and everything in between).

  Need a bit of proof? Just watch two men “chatting” in one of Italy’s busy piazzas. Even without sound, it’s easy to follow their conversation because their communication skills go way beyond the verbal.

Before you check out our list, take a crash course in Italian hand gestures with this little rap. I can’t guarantee you won’t have an earworm when you’re done watching (I know I did!) but it sets down the basics with a great beat and lots of laughs!

To see even more Italian gestures in action, you could watch Italian movies and TV shows, or you could try using FluentU.

Air Knocking

Meaning: Your place or mine?

When a man mimes knocking on a door in the air in front of his face, it’s an invitation for a casual romantic encounter.

So if you’re in a club and a hunk from Rome smiles, knocks and wiggles his eyebrows, you know he’s asking if you’re up for an evening of passion.

Need to see that one? Take a peek at a video from CNN, where you’ll see air knocking and a few other gestures—including the next one on our list as well as the infamous grattata (scratch)!

Le Corna (The Horns)

Meaning: Keep the jinx away.

To ward off bad luck in true Italian form, lift the pinky and index finger of one or both hands and point downward.

Just gesture toward your feet—nearby Italians will all realize you’re trying to keep a jinx at bay!

Grattata (Scratch)

Meaning: Ward off evil!

When an Italian man does a scratching gesture near his nether regions, it doesn’t generally mean he’s itchy. (Although, to be honest, who can ever know that for sure except the man himself?)

But if you’re in Italy when you see a man perform the scratch, it’s an all-purpose way to ward off evil or bad luck. It’s just a superstitious way of keeping his life—and those he loves—safe and problem-free.

If one of his kids has a cough? He scratches.

If he hears his mother-in-law is considering spending a month with the family? He scratches.

Tapping the Two Pointer Fingers

Meaning: There’s a partnership.

The two pointer fingers can tell all sorts of stories—especially when they’re tapping each other!

Holding the hands in front of the body, either level or with the fingertips pointing to the floor, tap the sides of the pointer fingers together.

This is a clear-cut signal that two people are up to no good together and there’s some sort of collusion between them.

In other words, “Sono soci” (“They are partners”)!

Eye Pull

Meaning: Pay attention.

If you want to tell someone to pay attention or be observant, use a fingertip to tug your lower eyelid down a bit. (Not hard—just a little.)

It’ll be enough to make whoever you’re talking to stand up and take notice!

Forming an X Across the Lips

Meaning: My lips are sealed.

To signify you’ll keep mum about something, cross your lips with two fingers.

Making an X gesture means “I’m silent on the matter. I’m not saying a thing!”

Finger Over the Lips

Meaning: Silenzio! (Be quiet!)

This one’s universally understood and used outside of Italy but honestly, no discussion on Italian body language should leave this one out.

Why? Because it’s used all over and in particular in one place most tourists visit on their Italian adventures!

Inside the Sistine Chapel men in dark suits walk around all day long frowning at noisy patrons and using this well-known gesture. If the noise level gets too high in the hallowed chapel, they follow the gesture with a stern, “Silenzio!”

It’s an experience no visitor to the Roman attraction will ever forget!

The Chin Scrape

Meaning: I don’t care.

Graze the fingertips on the underside of your chin and brush them away from your body for a classic way to say “Non me fregga.” (“I don’t care.”)

English speakers might feel that this has a rude connotation, but this Italian speaker explains that it really does just mean “I don’t care!”

He and his friends also explain a few other gestures including the “they-are-partners” finger tap and the cheek poke.

Pursed Fingers

Meaning: What are you talking about? / What do you want?

Two expressions in one Italian gesture!

To pull this one off, touch the tips of one hand’s fingers together and wiggle your hand in the air. Your fingertips should face the sky.

When someone hits you with this non-verbal expression, the person doing the gesturing expects an explanation. And if you don’t speak fast enough, the gesture might be repeated.

It’s common in everyday life but totally front and center in Italian sports!

Cheek Poke

Meaning: Delizioso! (Delicious!)

This is one gesture that’s sweet and used by every age group, from children to the elderly!

Simply poke the tip of your index finger into either cheek to indicate that something is especially delicious.

Finger spin

Meaning: Ciao! (Goodbye!)

To non-verbally indicate you’ll see someone later or just say goodbye, spin your index finger in the air in a circle.

Then, smile and leave—it’s that easy!

Temple Tap

Meaning: You’re crazy!

Tap the side of your head at the temple with one finger to indicate that you think the person you’re talking with (or someone nearby) is crazy.

The Italian language is beautiful to hear—and watch. There are lots of innuendos and layers of meaning, and so much to understand, both verbally and non-verbally.

Even if you don’t understand every bit of Italian body language or each hand gesture, you can enhance your language skills by adopting a few of these for your own use.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And One More Thing...

If you're as busy as most of us, you don't always have time for lengthy language lessons. The solution? FluentU!

Learn Italian with funny commericals, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

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