Origins of Humans and Body

Language
THE USE OF BODY LANGUAGE GOES BACK TO PREHISTORY AND
INDEED PRE-LANGUAGE TIMES. AFTER ALL, WHEN WE DIDN’T
KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE VERBALLY, ALL WE HAD WAS
TO COMMUNICATE WITH NON-VERBAL SIGNALS.

Positive French Body Language

1. Oui !
MEANING: “YES; EXCELLENT!”
HOW: MAKE A FIST AND EXTEND YOUR THUMB
UPWARD.
WHERE / WHEN: IN FRANCE, YOU CAN’T GO WRONG
WITH THE ALL-TIME CLASSIC THUMBS-UP.

HOWEVER, BEWARE OF THE “OK” SIGN FROM THE

U.K. AND U.S., WHERE YOU JOIN YOUR INDEX AND
THUMB TO MAKE A CIRCLE. IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES, INCLUDING FRANCE, IT’S A NEGATIVE
SIGN MEANING “ZERO” OR “WORTHLESS.”

2. Ca va être génial !
MEANING: “IT’S GONNA BE GREAT!”
HOW: RUB YOUR PALMS TOGETHER.
WHERE / WHEN: ALTHOUGH IT CAN MEAN THAT
YOU’RE COLD, DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT,
RUBBING YOUR PALMS TOGETHER USUALLY
CONVEYS THAT YOU’RE EXCITED OR EXPECTING
SOMETHING AMAZING. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN USE
THIS GESTURE IF YOU’RE EXPECTING TO MAKE GOOD
MONEY OR BEFORE EATING A GORGEOUS-LOOKING
MEAL.
3. Délicieux !
MEANING: “DELICIOUS!”
HOW: KISS THE JOINED TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS AND
JOYFULLY SPREAD THEM OUTWARD.

WHERE / WHEN: SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS “THE

ITALIAN CHEF KISS,” THIS GESTURE IS ALSO
POPULAR IN FRANCE, ALTHOUGH A BIT CLICHÉ. YOU
CAN USE IT WHEN YOUR FRENCH HOST IS SERVING
YOU A DELICIOUS TARTIFLETTE OVERFLOWING WITH
CREAM AND MELTED CHEESE… SORRY, I GOT
EMOTIONAL. WHAT WERE WE TALKING ABOUT?

4. VICTORY/Victoire!
I NEVER ACTUALLY HEAR WOMEN SAY, “VICTOIRE!”,
BUT I SEE THIS SYMBOL ALL THE TIME. THIS, OF
COURSE, IN AMERICA IS THE “PEACE SIGN” OR IS
USED TO SIGNIFIES THE NUMBER 2, WHEN ORDERING
SOMETHING, BUT IN FRANCE IT MEANS VICTORY OR
SUCCESS IN ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING.

5.
MEANING: “HELLO”
HOW: RAISE A HAND AND WAVE BY MOVING IT
FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITH A SWAYING MOTION.
WHERE / WHEN: IT’S USED IN INFORMAL
SITUATIONS TO GREET OR SAY GOODBYE AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR HANDSHAKES OR KISSES, WHETHER
YOU’RE OUT OF ARM-REACH OR GREETING MANY
PEOPLE AT ONCE. IT’S A BIT TOO CASUAL FOR
SERIOUS BUSINESS SETTINGS BUT STILL
ACCEPTABLE IN MANY OTHER PROFESSIONAL
SETTINGS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
FRENCH HAND GESTURES TO USE.
6. Bienvenue
MEANING: “WELCOME”
HOW: OPEN UP YOUR ARMS,
SPREADING THEM WIDE WITH A
SMILE. (CASUAL).
OPEN ONLY ONE ARM, WITH A SMILE. (FORMAL)
WHERE / WHEN:THE CASUAL FORM OF THIS GESTURE CAN BE USED TO
GREET FRIENDS OR PEERS IN A WARM AND ENTHUSIASTIC WAY. THE
FORMAL ONE IS COMMON FOR PROFESSIONAL OR COMMERCIAL
ENCOUNTERS.

7. La bise
MEANING: “THE KISS” IN A CASUAL
NON-ROMANTIC WAY. IT’S A VERY
TYPICAL FRENCH GREETING CUSTOM.

HOW: LEAN FORWARD AND

SLIGHTLY BRUSH CHEEKS WITH THE
OTHER PERSON WHILE MIMICKING A KISS (WITH THE SOUND AND LIPS
GESTURE). THEN, SWITCH CHEEKS AND REPEAT.

WHERE / WHEN: WELL…IT’S COMPLICATED! LUCKILY, OUR COMPLETE

GUIDE ABOUT “HOW TO SAY HELLO IN FRENCH” WILL TELL YOU
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ART OF FRENCH AIR-
KISSING! ESSENTIALLY THIS IS WHERE YOU AND THE PERSON YOU’RE
GREETING PRETEND TO KISS EACH OTHERS’ CHEEKS.

8. Se serrer la main
MEANING: TO SHAKE HANDS
HOW: FRENCH HANDSHAKES ARE BRISK
AND FIRM, WITH ONE OR TWO
UP-AND-DOWN MOVEMENTS WHILE
LOOKING THE PERSON YOU’RE GREETING
STRAIGHT IN THE EYES.

WHERE / WHEN: SHAKING HANDS IS THE MOST COMMON WAY TO

GREET FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, OR STRANGERS IN FRANCE.
9. I don't know
FRENCH BODY LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN YOU
HAVE NO CLUE FRENCH GESTURE FOR I
DON'T KNOW.
THE FRENCH HAVE A STRAIGHTFORWARD
WAY TO SAY THEY DON’T KNOW SOMETHING.
YOU MIGHT SEE THE FRENCH SHRUGGING,
BUT IT’S MORE COMMON TO SEE THEM
POUTING THEIR LIPS AND PUSHING A TINY
BIT OF AIR OUT OF THEIR MOUTH TO MAKE A
“P” SOUND. YOU’LL ESPECIALLY NOTICE THIS
ONE IF YOU’RE AROUND SASSY TEENAGERS.
IT DEFINITELY ISN’T SOMETHING YOU WOULD
DO TO YOUR BOSS OR A STRANGER.

10. J’ai du nez.

NOSE TAP. THIS IS A SAYING I DON’T HEAR
VERY OFTEN, BUT I SEE THIS GESTURE A LOT
WHEN FRENCH WOMEN ARE TALKING
TOGETHER. THEY TAP THEIR NOSE WITH
THEIR INDEX FINGER AND LOOK
MISCHIEVOUSLY IN YOUR EYES. THIS, I
BELIEVE, MEANS THEY ARE CUNNING AND
QUICK AND HAVE SEEN THE TRUTH FASTER
THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE CONVERSATION. I
ADORE THIS GESTURE. IT ALWAYS MAKES ME
SMILE.
Negative French Body Language

1. Chut! / Silence!
SILENCE! WHEN YOU WANT SOME ONE TO SHUT UP
OR FERMEZ-LA, YOU CAN HOLD UP YOUR INDEX
FINGER IN THE AIR (NOT IN FRONT OF YOUR LIPS),
AND GIVE A SEVERE LOOK TO THE PEOPLE
DISTURBING YOU. FRENCH TEACHERS USE THIS
GESTURE FREQUENTLY.

2. Mon Oeil –
I Don’t Trust You
THIS GESTURE IS DONE BY PULLING DOWN ON
YOUR EYE WITH YOUR INDEX FINGER AND GIVING A
POINTED, SERIOUS EXPRESSION. WHEN YOU DO
THIS YOU’RE SAYING, “YOU’RE SO FULL OF IT!”

3. C’est Rasoir–
It’s Boring or I’m Bored
EXPRESSING THAT YOU ARE BORED IS DONE BY
RUNNING THE BACKSIDE OF YOUR KNUCKLES UP
AND DOWN YOUR JAWLINE MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS
SUBTLE MOTION CAN GRAB THE ATTENTION OF
YOUR FRIEND AND GET YOU OUT OF A SITUATION
YOU’D RATHER GET AWAY FROM. C’EST RASOIR
ITERALLY MEANING IT’S RAZOR. WHILE WE CAN
OFTEN TELL THROUGH BODY LANGUAGE WHEN
SOMEONE IS DISENGAGED, THIS GESTURE IS USED
TO DIRECTLY AND DELIBERATELY COMMUNICATE
THIS MESSAGE TO A COMPANION.
4. Et Toc / Dans Les Dents
– Take That / Told You So
THIS GESTURE IS PERFORMED BY PUTTING YOUR
THUMB UNDER YOUR CHIN AND THEN ARCING IT
OUTWARD. IT CAN MEAN TAKE THAT, TOLD YOU SO,
OR THAT’S PAYBACK. IT’S A TAUNTING TYPE OF
MOTION AND CAN BE USED CONFRONTATIONALLY
OR IN A JOKING MANNER TOWARD FRIENDS OR
FAMILY. DANS LES DENTS IS A VARIATION OF ET
TOC AND IS EXPRESSED IN THE SAME FASHION.

5. Avoir Un Coup Dans Le

Nez – To Be Drunk
MAKING A FIST AGAINST YOUR NOSE (ALMOST AS
IF YOU HAVE A CLOWN NOSE) AND TWISTING IT IS
USED TO POINT OUT THAT SOMEONE IS
COMPLETELY DRUNK. THIS IS A SILLY GESTURE YOU
MIGHT JOKINGLY USE TO DESCRIBE A FRIEND OR
PASSERBY WHILE OUT ON A WEEKEND.

6. J’ai Peur – I’m Afraid

ETAKE ONE HAND AND TOUCH YOUR THUMB

REPEATEDLY TO THE REST OF YOUR EXTENDED
FINGERS, ALMOST IN ITALIAN STYLE.

AMERICANS MIGHT THINK “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”,

WHICH IS VERY CULTURALLY AMERICAN. IN
FRANCE, HOWEVER, IT MEANS I’M AFRAID. I ONCE
SPOKE TO A FRENCH GIRL ABOUT TRAVELING TO
BRAZIL AND I SAID: T’ES PRESSÉE D’Y ALLER? →
ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT GOING? UPON WHICH
SHE RESPONDED: OUI, MAIS… → YES, BUT… WITH
THIS GESTURE. I SAID “OH, EXPENSIVE!” AND SHE
RESPONDED, “NO, AFRAID!” NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT’S
EASY TO MISREAD CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT
GESTURAL SAVOIR-FAIRE
7. Ras Le Bol –
To Be Fed Up With
THIS EXPRESSION IS MADE BY HOLDING A SLACK
EXPRESSION ON YOUR FACE AND HOLDING YOUR
HAND ABOVE YOUR HEAD. YOU’LL MOVE YOUR HAND
BACK AND FORTH HORIZONTALLY TO THE SIDE OF
YOUR HEAD. IT’S A BIT LIKE THE ENGLISH SAYING,
‘I’VE HAD IT UP TO HERE.” (BY THE WAY – THERE
ARE MANY WAYS TO SAY THIS IN FRENCH)

8. On Se Casse – Let’s Get

Out of Here
SMACK THE SIDE OF YOUR HAND AGAINST THE
PALM OF THE OTHER. DO IT WITH A BIT OF FORCE
AND A TELLING LOOK IN THE EYES OF “I’M OVER
THIS”. THIS IS A SUBTLE WAY TO GET OUT OF A
PARTY OR SOCIAL SITUATION YOU DON’T WANT TO
BE IN. IN FRENCH SLANG, YOU CAN SAY ON SE
CASSE OR ON SE BOUGE TO SAY “LET’S
BOUNCE/LET’S MOVE”.

NEGATIVE FRENCH BODY LANGUAGE

FINLAND - STANDING WITH YOUR ARMS CROSSED IS

CONSIDERED A SIGN OF ARROGANCE.

FRANCE - TWO VULGAR GESTURES IN FRANCE WOULD BE TO

SNAP THE FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS OR SLAP AN OPEN PALM
OVER A CLOSED FIST.

RUSSIA - SHAKING HANDS ACROSS A THRESHOLD IS

CONSIDERED UNLUCKY.