It’s easy to get lost in a conversation in English. If you’re not sure what someone is saying, or if they’re trying to make something clear, look for hand gestures. These help clarify your message and emphasize important points.
As in every language, there are many different ways to use gestures and body language to communicate meaning in English. Some gestures might be appropriate in some situations and inappropriate in others; however, one thing remains consistent: if you want to talk about something without actually saying it out loud (or if someone else does), it’s good to know what hand gestures mean what things so that you can respond appropriately.
Read until the end and don’t forget to play the video to see which hand gestures in English you remember!
The OK hand sign
The OK hand sign is the most common hand gesture you’ll see in America. It’s used to mean “OK,” “good,” or “all right.” In American Sign Language, it means “I love you.”
You can use this gesture to convey any of these meanings:
- A thumbs-up that says “great” or “excellent.” For example, if someone asks how you like your new car, you could reply by giving them a thumbs-up. You could also use it as an alternative to saying something like “fine” when asked how you’re doing.
- An indication that all is well and there’s nothing to worry about (as opposed to giving someone a thumbs-down). This meaning is similar to the British expression “no worries.”
- Agreement with someone else’s statement or idea; basically saying “I agree with what you just said”—or even more positively: “Yes! That was brilliant!” As such, it can be considered an alternative for words such as “yes” and “sure” when agreeing with someone else in conversation
Shake your hands
Shaking hands is one of the most common ways to greet people in English. It is a way to show respect and agreement with someone. In some cultures, shaking hands with someone can be used as a way to say you are happy about something.
To shake hands, take both of your hands and place them together palm-to-palm. Then move them up and down quickly three times while saying “nice to meet you”.
If you want to say goodbye, simply extend your hand outwards from your body with palms facing down towards the ground. This signal shows that you are leaving or going away from somewhere for good!
Wave
- Wave to say hello
- Wave goodbye
- Wave when you’re grateful, appreciative, or listening.
- Wave to show excitement.
Raise your hand
You can raise your hand to get the attention of a teacher, or to show approval or disagreement. You can also use it at meetings and conferences. It’s also used in sports, especially football.
For example: “When you raise your hand to attract the coach’s attention, you are raising your hand.”
Snap your fingers
- To snap your fingers, you simply place the middle and index finger of each hand together and then pull them apart with a quick motion.
- To indicate that something is acceptable or desirable: “I’m going to the movies tonight!” “Snap!” (The word “snap” can also mean “to agree.”)
- To get someone’s attention: “Snap out of it! You’re not paying attention! We need to focus on this assignment.”
Clap
- Clap your hands when you are happy or excited.
- Clap when someone else does something good, like when a friend makes a joke or gets an A on a test.
- Clap for yourself when you do something good, like when you work hard and get an A (or even just try really hard and end up with a B+).
Crack your fingers
When you get the itch to crack your knuckles, your hand will automatically go into a fist. Then, using your thumb and index finger of one hand, gently push against each one of the knuckles in your other hand (the fingers). This will cause them to move slightly and make a cracking sound.
If you want to do it discreetly—in class or work meetings where people might frown upon finger-cracking—you can still crack your knuckles by doing them individually: just put each finger in its corresponding position as if you were about to use it for another gesture (like pointing) and then wiggle it back and forth quickly until it cracks.
Give someone a thumb up
If you’re giving a thumbs up, you’re showing that you approve of what someone said or did. It can also mean “good” or “okay.”
If you are giving the thumbs-up gesture to someone who is passing by, it is usually a sign of support. For example, if your child comes home with an A+ on their math test, you might give them a thumbs up and say something like: “Great job!”
The thumb itself has many meanings in different cultures around the world. In some countries, it means “money,” while others interpret it as an offensive gesture meaning “up yours.” If you’re unsure about how to use this hand signal—or want to avoid offending anyone—it’s best not to use it at all!
Motion to come here
This motion is used to call someone over. It’s a more polite way of doing so, as opposed to just saying “Hey, come here.”
You can also use this gesture when you want someone to come closer to you. For example, if your friend is standing across the room talking with their friends, and you’d like them to join the conversation with yours, hold your hand out vertically at waist level and wave it back and forth in an inviting manner.
The shaka sign
The shaka sign is a classic hand gesture that has many different meanings. It can mean “aloha,” or it can be used to say “hi” or “bye.” It can also convey the message that someone should have been there first, or that something was cool. And the shaka sign might just be the most popular way to say “you’re welcome.”
In Hawaii, it’s common for people to greet each other with a shaka sign, even if they’re not familiar with each other. If you’re traveling in Hawaii and want to fit in and make friends with local people, simply return their warm greetings by giving them a friendly handshake and then flashing them your best shaka!
Flipping someone off
The middle finger gesture is made by extending the middle finger of one hand, while the other hand is held with the palm facing out. The recipient of this gesture will see your extended middle finger and then your palm-facing-out hand as you make eye contact with them. Flipping someone off should be done discreetly; if it’s anything like how people do it in real life, it’s never going to get lost in translation!
In addition to being used as an insult (not recommended for use with strangers or authority figures), this gesture can also be used to express anger or frustration. For example: “The traffic light turned red just as we were about to cross.” You could then extend your middle finger at the offending traffic light while turning around and walking away from it with a huff.
The A-OK hand sign
The A-OK hand sign is a circle made with the thumb and index finger. It can mean everything is okay, good job, zero or nil and other things depending on context. This gesture is common in the United States but is also used elsewhere in the world.
Using hand gestures can make your statements more meaningful or emphatic.
- You can use hand gestures to emphasize a point. For example, you might use a hand gesture to emphasize the importance of something that you are saying.
- You can use hand gestures to help people understand what you are saying. For example, if someone doesn’t understand your English and they ask questions, then it’s okay for them to ask questions because it helps them understand what is being said or done better than not having any information at all!
- You can also use hand gestures during conversations when people are talking about similar things or events that occurred at the same time or place (e.g., school). This shows that everyone understands each other’s points of view on the subject matter being discussed so far.”
Test Yourself! Which hand gestures in English do you remember?
Play this video with our teacher Shane!
We hope that you’ve found this list of hand gestures useful. If there are any other hand gestures that you think we should add, please let us know!