1. Crash Course in French Gestures

2. Faire la Bise La bise or le bisou means kiss. The French exchange
air kisses on each
cheek to greet
each other hello.

3. Bof This gesture has a number of meanings: It’s not my fault
I don’t know
I doubt it
I don’t agree

4. Se Serrer la Main
The French shake hands upon meeting someone for the first time; usually in a business setting upon both arrival and departure.
The handshake
is both quick and
light.

5. Se Serrer la Main Encore
If hands are full or dirty, the French may offer an elbow or a finger instead.

6. Un, Deux, Trois
When counting on the fingers, the thumb is one, the index finger two, and the middle finger three etc.
Un Deux Trois

7. Un, Deux, Trois Encore
But, even if the thumb is not shown, the French always count it as one. So, for example, when you are at a restaurant and you ask for two pieces of pizza and you use your index and middle fingers the waiter will return with three pieces of pizza!

8. Faire la Moue
The French pout is a common French facial gesture which expresses discontent, disdain, disgust... just about any negative emotion.
To faire la moue, push your lips out
and bring them back in, kind of like a
quick pucker up to a kiss. A bored
expression on the face is a common
accompaniment.

9. J’ai du nez J’ai le nez fin J’ai du flair
To indicate that you are clever, tap your nose with your index finger and say one of the following:
J’ai du nez J’ai le nez fin J’ai du flair

10. Du Fric
To indicate that you need money or that something is expensive, hold out your hand with your fingers and thumb touching, and rub your thumb across your fingertips. The gesture alone will send the message, but you can also say, “Du fric!” or “C’est pas donné!”