Practice exercises to learn common French gestures
Non-Verbal Communication Uncovered: The French Perspective: Practice exercises to learn common French gestures
To practice common French gestures, it helps to learn not only their meanings but also how to perform them properly with context. Here are some useful exercises and guidance based on common French gestures and their typical uses:
Practice Greetings and Welcoming Gestures
- Practice waving your hand side to side with a swaying motion for “Bonjour” (Hello). Use this in informal greetings or goodbyes.
- Open your arms wide with a smile to mimic “Bienvenue” (Welcome) in casual settings or one arm open more formally.
Positive Gesture Exercises
- Give a thumbs-up to say “Oui” (Yes/Excellent). Remember that the classic thumbs-up is positive, but avoid the “OK” sign with a circle, which can be rude in France.
- Rub your palms together to express excitement or looking forward to something great (“Ça va être génial!”).
- Practice the “delicious” gesture by kissing the tips of your fingers and spreading them outward (often used after tasting good food).
Neutral and Everyday Use Gestures
- Use the index finger to place vertically on your lips to signify “Chut!” (Shh, be quiet).
- Curl your index finger towards yourself, palm up, to say “Viens!” (Come here), avoiding the palm-down version which may be rude.
- Tip your hand palm down from left to right to indicate “Comme ci comme ça” (So-so; more or less) when asked how you are doing.
Additional French Gesture Practices
- Learn the “La bise,” the French cheek kiss greeting, by gently brushing cheeks and mimicking a kiss sound, switching cheeks.
- Practice crossing fingers for hoping good luck (“Les doigts croisés”).
- Use the hand flick outward under the chin to ‘get lost’ or express “I don’t care” with caution in informal settings.
- Mimic the hand gesture of counting by pointing each finger as you enumerate points in a conversation.
Suggested Learning Routine
- Watch videos or interactive tutorials showing these gestures in action to understand the rhythm and style.
- Repeat gestures while saying their meanings aloud to combine verbal and non-verbal learning.
- Practice with a partner or record yourself to get feedback on your gesture accuracy and naturalness.
- Incorporate quizzes or games that prompt you to match gestures with their meanings.
This methodical practice using gestures in real-life contexts or simulated conversations will enhance understanding and confidence in using common French body language effectively.