GERMAN HAND GESTURES with Elisa (Die Frickelbude)

Hand gestures are not all the same in Germany and USA!! Elisa from Die Frickelbude tells me what some of the common German hand gestures mean, and which ones I'm doing wrong 😄 Thanks Elisa!!
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Our video on Elisa's channel: • Video
Die Frickelbude main channel: / alive4fashion
So my question for you is: Do you do these hand gestures like how we did them? Or differently? And what other hand gestures or body movements have you seen out there around the world?
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[@WantedAdventure]

Good morning! ☀️🌸😎 Do you also do these hand gestures? What do they mean to you? 👍 T-SHIRT UPDATE!!! ✨Yay✨ We now have TWO new summer t-shirt designs: "German Summer" and "Biergarten Bunch" 😍👕👚 You can check them out here: teespring.com/stores/wantedadventure

[@christopherweisheit609]

Wanted Adventure Well, I think the knocking is not just in the University a common figure. or gesture. (can one use the term figure? :D) I know this knocking even from the school after a presentation and in general everywhere where you want to honor somebody.

[@FrauHotie]

Wanted Adventure crossing the fingers means in Germany, that you are not telling the truth. We normaly cross our fingers behind the back and then telling someone: of course I will clean up the kitchen. Somtimes someone will say, of they dont' believe you; can I see your fingers?!

[@Vortagh]

I think the knocking is usually done, when you actually have a surface to knock on in front of you. University lecture halls obviously have that, so does the local pub. It's called "akademisches Klopfen", btw (academic knocking). Its backstory is quite interesting. I always figured that, as students have a very healthy....thirst (:P), that it went from the lecture halls to the pubs, where it simply got picked up by non-students as well.

[@tietokone8796]

Wanted Adventure we did the knocking on the table instead of applause at my Gymnasium (the school not the gym) as well

[@JumpmenDe]

When someone enters a full room at a party or so. He or she often Knocks 2-3 times on each table to greet all the people arround instead of greeting everyone one by one

[@TheLokoschade]

When i was a kid, fingercrossing meant that that you are lying. So for example two kids one has two toys. The other asks: "Can I have one of your toys?", *cross fingers* "Yes...", "Oh cool", *shows fingers* "Haha I was lying!" *runs away*

[@thatgirl8036]

Yes!

[@Asari547]

it is like a spell that you can lie without punishment. (from god i guess) so kids make it in the believe, that lying is okay if they cross the fingers

[@MeritSeto]

That's what I was thinking of. My brother and I did it very often.

[@Sketchblopp]

Jep, I know this, too.

[@ranmakuro]

It has nothing to do with God, it's more like: You saw I wasn't serious/ I was lying, you can't blame me afterwards though you might feel betrayed.

[@van03de]

Being a German lawyer I would like to inform our US friends that insults are a punishable crime in Germany. If you repeatedly point your finger to your forehead ("den Vogel zeigen" = you're an idiot) while looking at another driver or even a cop you might get charged with a misdemeanor ("Beleidigung" = insult or verbal assault).

[@chantelkinyon912]

ohh thats interesting. nice to know. thank you.

[@celipetit95]

van03de wurde das nicht wieder abgeschafft oder war das nur der Mittelfinger den man wieder zeigen darf?

[@van03de]

Céli Petit Geldstrafe von 750 € für "Vogel zeigen": www.bussgeld-info.de/beleidigung-im-strassenverkehr/ . Die Höhe der Strafe ist aber abhängig vom Einkommen des Verurteilten.

[@Milkymalk]

Most non-police will just ignore your rude gestures in traffic, though.

[@mollygrace3068]

Wait, really???

[@pittabrad4185]

Also bei mir im Umkreis (ich weiß nicht ob das überall so ist) klopft man auch auf den Tisch um nicht jedem hallo sagen zu müssen. Einmal 'Hallo' sagen und auf den Tisch klopfen und jeder fühlt sich angesprochen :)

[@OlliEs1977]

jup, hallo und natürlich auch um tschüß zu sagen

[@tobulax]

Das ist bei uns in Franken so üblich. Würde mich interessieren, wo das sonst noch überall der Brauch ist.

[@pittabrad4185]

tobulax also ich lebe in NRW und hier ist es auch ziemlich gängig :)

[@michschnitte82]

Can't decide which name I want to have In Berlin auch :)

[@PinkLeoley]

Genau, anstatt jedem die Hand zu schütteln/umarmen. Das wird auch nicht als unhöflich empfunden

[@M1985-]

You don't point the finger. You touch the spot repeatedly.

[@thatgirl8036]

Right?

[@chemech]

Way back when, we were told that doing this gesture while driving could get us fined (Warnungsgeld) as such rude gestures from one driver to another were not allowed... Also, as I understand it from family tradition, the finger tapping the forehead - or even pointing to it - is the sign for saying that the other person has fecal matter in their skull, i.e. "du Scheisskopf!"

[@jasperzanovich2504]

1. You can get fined since it's an insult. 2. The gesture comes from the superstition that stupid people got a bird in their head instead of a brain, or something like that, not shit.

[@Chesonate]

Therefor it's called "Jemanden den Vogel zeigen" to show someone the bird

[@PatrickKormann]

Yep, it means 'Du hast nen Vogel' - You've got a bird ;) ... and means as much as you're crazy

[@erikrosch6047]

In my region, pointing the pointer finger to the head is not the whole thing, you normally tap more often than just once and the fingers crossing, at least also in my region, means that you lie. For example you have to swear that you´re saying the truth, you have to show the other one your hands so that they can see you´re not crossing your fingers, which then means you´re saying the truth. I´m sorry if this was not understandable...

[@erikrosch6047]

I actually don´t know the legs crossed thing...

[@Quarick98]

nah in Poland we do the same and sometimes we would take it to the extreme and cross our toes or any other variation (but ofc more as a joke than usual sign)

[@chantelkinyon912]

in america kids also do that while crossing there fingers

[@Midnight.Creepypastas]

That's the way I know it.^^ And I also only know the "knocking on wood" thing either as an applause or as "Good luck!", sometimes in combination with "Toi toi toi".

[@RagingADHD]

sounds like a imaginary land

[@arneauskropp]

manchmal ist das Klopfen auf den Tisch auch eine Begrüßung. es sitzen 10 Leute an einem Tisch, die man kennt aber nicht unbedingt befreundet ist. statt nun jedem einzeln die Hand zu geben zur Begrüßung kloppft man auf den Tisch

[@leenaliee]

Woher kommst du? Hier in Hessen habe ich das noch nie gesehen.

[@arneauskropp]

ich bin aus Schleswig-Holstein - kenne aber sogar 2 Hessen, die das auch machen. ob die das erst hier gelernt haben kann natürlich auch sein

[@dennismehr35]

Enra Mummi und ich kenne das aus der Pfalz. Da wo ich herkomme oder eigentlich in der ganzen Pfalz macht man das so mit dem Klopfen. Zum Begrüßen und auch zum Verabschieden.

[@montanus777]

ich kenne das auch aus RLP und NRW. besonders merkwürdig finde ich es immer, wenn es von der bemerkung begleitet wird: "ich mach mal ..." (und dann eben das klopfen).

[@arneauskropp]

ja genau... ich mach mal so ;-)

[@qiuhepeng8223]

In China people drum 2 fingers (twice) on the table after they get served tea: The story goes that a Chinese Emperor was visiting a tea shop incognito wanted to thank the server for the excellent tea - but as an emperor - he cannot bow to anyone, so he resorted to this special hand gestures. People found it so elegant, that they emulated it and it became an established hand gesture.

[@tzutzumo]

Pointing or tipping the finger to the forehead has the meaning "Du hast ja nen Vogel!"(You have a Bird.). As if a Bird would live in your head. Wiping the hand in front of your face means "Du hast ja ne Scheibe!" or "Du hast ja n Brett vorm Kopp!"(You got a board in front of your head.). Crossing fingers behind the back is a sign to lie. To think the opposite of what you are saying. Knocking on a table could also be a greeting. Especially in bars or clubs. Thats what i know so far. ;-)

[@choedzin]

One gesture that confused me when I first got to Germany was pulling down a lower eyelid with the index finger. I don't know how widespread this is, but it seems to mean that the person doing it can see through some attempt at deception or a fallacy of some sort.

[@simonopps]

That's like out irony gesture, at least that's how we use it here. If you say something like "oh of course I stay at home tonight" and you pull your lower eyelid that would mean that you definitely won't stay at home tonight and probably do something you said you wouldn't.

[@choedzin]

Oh! And I thought it meant "you can't fool me!" Thanks for the info.

[@choedzin]

So my guess wasn't entirely wide of the mark, after all. Thanks, that's quite reassuring.

[@federicosbetta1368]

in italy that means you've been smart

[@eljanrimsa5843]

I know this one. It usually is accompanied by a request to find the submarine "Kannst du das U-Boot sehen?"

[@dieFrickelbude]

I really had so much fun while filming :D Never thought about all these different gestures before. It's such an intuitive thing

[@itsgorani9133]

The "Daumen drücken" (good luck) I do with the thumb inside the fist. Perhaps it is a regional thing. The "time out" gesture, by forming a T-shape with both hands (fingers closed, straight hands) is very common, too. Having your hand in front of your throat, wrist in a 90° angle and fingers pointing towards you is a very blunt gesture to shut someone up. Usually this is shown together with silently saying "nein" or "stopp". Pulling down the lower lid of your eye with the index finger and slightly tilting your head means "you can't fool me, I noticed the lie".

[@entropyzero5588]

I've never seen someone actually press their thumbs (either way) ; I only know the phrase. And I have no idea what you're talking about with the "shut up"-gesture - I just can't picture what you're describing 0o

[@timecrayon]

Like the "I'll kill you"-gesture, but just repeatedly and not meant that way

[@lilofeevomsee8496]

The thumbs are supposed to be held inside the fist,because original it was believed that you could bind bad-luck-demons to your thumb and by holding your thumb immobilize them.

[@Midnight.Creepypastas]

I'm a German too and I only know "Daumen drücken" ...

[@M1985-]

You can always knock if you want to wish luck or he has a big task you knock. Just google "auf Holz klopfen".

[@magentagutenberg]

And then there's the humorous knocking against one's own or someone else's head for wishing luck.... dreimal aufs Holz klopfen. The joke is that you're also saying you or the other person whose head you're knocking on is a "Holzkopf", a stupid person.

[@xzonia1]

In the U.S., we knock on wood for good luck or to ward off bad luck (and it doesn't work if you knock on any other material). As a joke, people will sometimes knock on their heads to suggest it is made of wood (like a ventriloquist's dummy's head ... so they're suggesting they're a "dummy" or dumb/stupid). :)

[@Vanadium]

Not in my region , everyone would look at you and you maybe you even get the finger :P

[@nadine8742]

xzonia1 it's the same in germany :)

[@MereddynYT]

The loud knocks on the table in a certain scenario like a bar or a discussion round is the equivalent to the saying "hear hear!" It's a gesture of honor or acknowledgement

[@mikkibubble4711]

Macht Spass, von euch beiden zu lernen. So schade, dass es den Frickelbude Kanal nicht mehr gibt !

[@Stempeline]

gret video! It is always a pleasure to see where the little differences are! I have alway so much fun with your videos! Thanks for that! Now I will see what the Frickelbude does. I love DIY! have a great weekend!

[@juannunez5767]

2:16 John Cena's "You Can't See Me" taunt

[@michaelsylvester7272]

Hi Dana, I’m Italian so I have say we know hand gestures for sure! Have a nice day!

[@ThomasKnip]

I'm gesturing so much there's always fresh air for the people around me. ;)

[@janheinbokel3969]

More of you, can't get enough

[@tazginpax]

Knockin on table is also done if you join a group and dont want to say "hello" to everybody. Same holds for saying "bye".

[@helfgott1]

Very interresting thank you

[@Konleb]

Hello Dana! I like watching your videos so much, and look forward to each new of them.Another famous Hand gesture in Germany is, to pull down one of your eyelips with your forefinger, while you´re talking to someone else.That means what you´ve said, was meant ironic.Please go on with your videos, its so much fun to watch.mfg Bernd

[@RamBoZamBo123]

I think you missed the most important one: The good old middle finger. Means the same in both Germany and the US I think.

[@taliesin5983]

Knocking on a table 2-3 times is a way to say "hello" or "goodbye" without disturbing the conversation.

[@Mike8827]

regarding the knocking / clapping difference: I have the feeling that clapping is more a form of applause for a performance, artistical or musical in nature, while knocking on your table is a form of appreciation for an everyday task, like a lecture at uni, or a presentation at your job. So, even in university, if there's a band performing, people clap instead of knocking

[@mohawkcub]

One thing I find amusing is that tapping your index finger to your temple is called "jemandem den Vogel zeigen" whereas flipping someone the bird in English is of course a slightly different gesture... which is understood the same here in Germany.

[@AvailableUsernameTed]

I watch too many KZbin videos. I want to click the 'Like' button when appreciating someone .. in the real world.

[@wionasweek]

If you put one of the crossed finger signs behind your back this means you are lying in Germany 👏

[@michaelbrennan6123]

Wionas Weekly same in USA

[@KatzeARL]

Amazing. I've lived in Germany for 10 years, I've perfectly adapted the "waving hand in front of face" gesture and I forgot it was a german thing :P

[@vinnimann8101]

Really lovely video!! I honestly didn't know that I'm doing all of these and it's typically German 😅 Very good to know before I fly to the US this month 😅

[@BaldJean]

The pointing of the index finger to the head to say "you are crazy" is often done as a double or triple knocking rather than as a pointing. .

[@Pfeifferd99]

In my country crossing your fingers (the American way) like that, it means you're lying to someone. It's mostly in a joking matter. When you say something like "I promise I didn't hide this thing from you" and your fingers are crossed behind your back then it means you're not telling the truth. Some people also cross their legs. You could get later slapped when you do that, so I wouldn't recommend it ;P It's annoying as hell.

[@Adrian-kq1dn]

Ocean's 8 is coming in 2018 Yeahh it's the same here in Bavaria and i guess in entire Germany, i think they just forgot the meaning of that in the Video ;-)

[@mattwcheese2045]

Ocean's 8 is coming in 2018 in the USA, crossing your fingers can mean you are lying or it can be for good luck.

[@desertrose0601]

Yes that's the same in America too. Kids especially use it this way. It just depends on the context to know which meaning it has here.

[@adimikimkoydu]

We starting knocking after a presentation at the university, I think the reason why is we take German classes :D

[@Dutchfruitjar]

I love how even though spoken German has been lost in my family, a lot of German mannerisms have carried on. I recognized several of these and do the hand-face one frequently. lol I love my German heritage!

[@hellboy666tillidie]

Jen S. Muh heritage

[@yeahViki]

nice video 😊

[@xXxTutti00xXx]

its not just like putting your finger on your head. more like tipping your head and keep moving the finger like the hand in front of your face.

[@kevpagede]

Sehr interressant, gerne mehr in der art

[@MsAliceSmile]

The thing about knocking on the table is that today it's seen as more “formal“ than normal handclapping. So if you're in a meeting or at uni/senior class you would normally knock. Meanwhile the knocking originates from giving someone applause and being able to hold something (e.g. a glass) in your hand. So it went from the “Stammtisch“ to the uni because like that you can show your prof your appreciation while still writing. If you think about it, when using both of your hands you put more effort into your applause than with knocking which could mean more appreciation for the prof or whoever. But since knocking is used in formal situations it's seen as the “better“ version of clapping. Only standing ovations can top that.

[@Nixitur]

Another thing that knocking on the table is used for is when you take your leave when you're at a bar with friends or something. It's loud, everyone's talking, people are probably spread out over multiple tables. Saying goodbye to everyone individually is infeasible and annoying, but just yelling "Goodbye" really loudly is rude. So, when you grab your stuff, have already stood up and are ready to leave, you knock on the table (usually twice) which usually gets everyone's attention and then just give a short Goodbye. If it's especially loud and you're especially close-knit, you may knock on each of your friends' tables, but usually just on the one that you actually sat at.

[@Ulrich.Bierwisch]

I'm from Aachen. We have our own gesture. If we are somewhere else, we greet other people from Aachen with the little Finger (Danger: that can be misunderstood from the distance). It is called Klenkes. The source is the needle production which was important in Aachen long time ago. The worker, usually kids, where sorting and counting the needles with the little finger on a table, this made the little finger stiff and you could identify people from needle production by that.

[@JoshuaHillerup]

In Canada counting is weird. English Canada does it the same way as the US, French Canada does it the same way as Germany, and it's a way to tell which someone is if they're so fluently bilingual that they don't have an accent.

[@michellek2689]

As a kid fingers crossed meant that you can lie because you crossed your fingers, so we would say "I swear" - "Show me your fingers!" but now I do cross my fingers to wish someone luck, but also the thumb-thing:)

[@ziggystardog]

My father was in university in Holland and had a professor whose was presenting a thesis or paper about electric bells. Some engineering students rigged up bells and buzzers and then attended the lecture and rang their bells instead of knocking to insult him, because they hated him.

[@Ooobacht]

Table knocking is also a thing older people do in germany, maybe only in southwest, when you enter a bar or restaurant and a group of people you know is sitting there, you go there and knock 2 to 3 times on the table to say "hi everyone" . Doesnt matter if you are going to join them or just stop by to go to your extra table afterwards. My parents, and older people in Rheinland-Pfalz do that a lot, I dont know if its a common german thing

[@WantedAdventure]

+Ooobacht Cool to hear about that, thanks!! I feel like I have seen this happen before, but I'm not 100% sure. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for when people knock on tables in Germany now. Really interesting :)

[@Hunter_Journal]

If someone came into a room and can not say hello to everyone he knocks on a table and the other people wave a hello xD This is how my family and friends say hello if they are too late and to much people are in a room :'D

[@DiedieimRegentanzt]

We sometimes do also knock on the table if you join or leave a bigger group of people that are having drinks together. This is just a polite but short way to say hello or goodbye to the whole table without having to hug everybody or shake hands. We often use this with a short sentence like "leute, ich packs" meaning "guys, I gotta go", so we can leave the group without interrupting conversations or having too much attention. in south western Germany (Baden) we do that pretty often

[@CarolinMader]

Crossing your fingers is sometimes used to indicate you're close to someone, e.g. you'd say something like 'We're like that' and then make the gesture and people will know that you and person X are close friends or know each other really well.

[@GiaGwendoline]

Ich bin grad völlig verwirrt davon, Elisa hier zu sehen. Damit hab ich so gar nicht gerechnet. Habe sie glaub ich schon abonniert seit sie bei "Was geht ab!?" dabei war :)

[@nightcode9444]

You can also knock if you are joining a group of friends and say hello to them. It's easier and not that formal than greeting everyone directly. It's more used an festivals when all of them are in a talk with each other. With that you raise their attention, so they greet back and can continue. And you can join someone or, if you were just passing through, go on.

crossing the fingers is called a Hexenkreuz and is meant to wish someone to fail or to cancel a vow/promise if you make that gesture unseen while you are giving that vow.

[@tommyboy4ua]

Hi Dana......I am a new subscriber and I really enjoy watching all your videos.......I found this one about German hand gestures very interesting. I also have a question about Octoberfest. In the beer halls when they play the drinking songs how do you know the words? Do you have to memorize them or do they have karaoke type monitors where the words are posted. Do the bands play anything they want or is there a way to make a request? I know these may sound silly but I hope to attend in 2018 and I want to be prepared. Since Octoberfest 2017 is right around the corner, maybe you might like to do a video about my questions. Thanx and keep up the good work!!.....Auf Wiedersehn.....Tom Doucet

[@lala5214]

What I really enjoy is when Indian colleagues agree by shaking the upper part of their head left and right. It looks far more like approval than our heavy nod. What I think in comparison is "yey, I so totally agree that my head is dancing" to "yey... my head falls off."

[@anitafaulhaber9810]

i also know that when you arrive on a family event, where you meet people you know but are not very close with, plus they are sitting together at one table and it would take to much time to greet everyone itself, you knock at the head of the table and wave to the whole table to say "Hello" to everyone.

[@VerrueckteKatzenLadie]

We also did the knocking thing in school, not just university.

[@Ssatkan]

With the knocking: I think applauding by knocking on the table is for formal occasions where clapping would be considered a little... loud, rude and tacky. Knocking on a pub table for me means saying bye to the whole table without shaking everyone's hand individually, which makes sense for a huge crowd and/or a seating arrangement where getting to everyone might be difficult.

[@fresharche6227]

When you leave a room with a lot of people at a table or enter you can knock on the table two times to say goodbye/hello to the whole table (but mostly you also say smth like "goodbye everyone" too)

[@yumyumbirdMusic]

The "knocking on the table" is also used as a greeting of a group when there are to many to great personally. Like at a Bar for example.

[@dandelion2321]

I use 👌 as "cool" and ✌as "peace" so often. as well as the american sign language for "I love you," which is pinky, index finger, and thumb extended.

[@jeannotdegrand572]

To me , the hand gesture in front of face is referring to: Du hast wohl ein Brett vor dem Kopf

[@MrsDeviliny]

Yeh and the pointing on the head is refering to: "Du hast doch einen Vogel." :D

[@hermannschaefer4777]

More of a "Mattscheibe" I guess. A "Brett vorm Kopf" is more like that you just didn't get something, while this gesture does mean that you are an idiot, like "nicht mehr alle Tassen im Schrank haben".

[@MrTuxracer]

Man scheuert mit der Hand im Gesicht und drückt damit "du bist doch bescheuert" aus.

[@Thulsa80]

Its called "Scheibenwischer" like at the car, coming from "Du hast wohl ne Scheibe" which means, you are stupid/crazy.

[@virginia28]

Hi Elisa, Dana, for the first hand gesture you showed i have to say we do this differently.While you are pointing we are circling with the pointing finger. What for me also belongs to the gesture is a whistle while you are circling to show the other person do not have all one's marbles. :) :)

[@newyorkbeautyful]

I was told that the knocking instead of applause at the university comes from the times when everyone was writing their notes with pen and paper. Since students would still hold their pen in one hand, they would knock on the table with their other hand to signal applause.

[@widmawod]

In Italy, we call the point finger "indice" (literally "pointer"); we count also like German people, so I think it's a European thing to count starting with your thumb. As for clapping, we can whistle, but it could be misunderstood because in the past the whistle meant disapproval (now it is positive most of the time). We don't knock the wood anyway. To say "good luck" we cross the fingers too and we don't do the thumb thing.

[@D4BASCHT]

We literally call that finger pointing finger in German. In English it’s also the “index finger”, but they might have lost the connection to “indicate”. And I disagree with the ordering part of the video, would still show a thumb for the number one, but raising the arm with just the index finger or all five fingers to get attention. We do whistling here only for very enthusiastic approval, so that’s a very intense form here. We would spitting over somebody’s shoulder be a very intense form of wishing somebody good luck. But due to being intense, those are rare to witness.

[@GuySchalckens]

In Belgium A crowed pub, we raise our arms, right hand = peace sign ( two), left hand = pinky .. means: two beers pinky is slang for pint (beer)

[@Anne-hl3qh]

E-freaking-lisa, I love this woman 😍

[@nelevandermeiren90]

In Belgium if you want to order a glass of beer u can put up your the little finger or pinkie . This is the hand gesture for a 'pintje' . This hand gesture is used in clubs or bars where the music is to loud. This ensures that the bartender knows what you want even tho he maybe can't hear you.

[@BladewingX]

knocking the table is also common in clubs and other voluntary groups. For example, in the fire brigade, you'd knock after someone gave a theoretical lesson on a topic. This is quite similar to the University-settings, as basically everyone is thanking/honoring the teacher for their time.

[@mistersmith158]

Elisa is so cute, and I tried to look at her content. Its looks good, but sadly my german is no good. Nice collaboration though and her site is very good. Well done girls; good energy and lots of smiles; very key element IMO

[@marthacecille591]

in germany you also knock on the table 2-3 times if you say goodbye to a group of people (like in a bar or crowed/loud place). that way you don't have to shake hands with everybody.

[@Thomas-qv6jg]

We have the same hand gestures in Hungary the only exception is the knocking. It was again a very good video.😊😀

[@eleo_b]

In the Netherlands when you point your finger on the sides of your head, you don't really tap, it's more like twisting a little bit. It also means clever.

[@rebbih4719]

We also used to clap in our school after someone had a presentation (etc.), so sometimes not only in universities.

[@ronja3469]

When I was a kid I learned that if you put your thumb inside your hand, you push the luck out, so you have to put the thumb on top of your fist...

[@adricortesia]

To the knocking thing: You can also do it when you come late to a meeting with your friends. Instead of greeting everyone by shaking hands you can just knock on the table which means something like "hello to everyone on this table". The combination would be knocking and saying hello. Crossing fingers can mean that you lie. So you stand in front of a person and you are telling a lie then you can cross your fingers behind your back to indicate that this is a lie.

[@PatsFanGermany]

Pointing your index finger at your temple means "du hast einen Vogel" and the closest expression in English to that could be "you are bats in the bell tree".

[@solarsmile9990]

Stefan Homberg at you temple? Temple = head? 😂

[@Melonizer164]

Solar Smile Temples = Schläfen

[@entropyzero5588]

It's "having bats in the [or one's] _belfry_ " ;) (A belfry is a tower with a bell, a "Glockenturm")

[@jgr_lilli_]

Mr. German Man is right about the University knocking applause thing. In the auditoriums, it's common for students to knock the table with their non-dominant hand for applause or approval, because they are using their dominant hand to take notes and clapping would force them to interrupt their writing and possibly miss some information.

[@dirkbaldorad3634]

Imperator Outa! Good to see you're alive. Don't forget about your llama friends, we are awaiting your return.

[@Ernoskij]

@Dana - the waving of the hand in front of the face means "you are completely blank" or "you have no clue what's going on", it's like wiping a whiteboard clean :)

[@thisbushnell2012]

Waving hands in front of your face, " Hey! Wake up! Are you conscious?"

[@yuosen8419]

The first thing about Crossing fingers is, that it is a hidden move to tell later "I didn't really mean it, it wasn't the truth." Or children then say "I crossed my finger, so my promise is not valid... I do not really know how to explain this in english... But i hope some will understand what i mean... Great video by the way :-)

[@erictaylor5462]

3:25 This was used in Inglorious Bastards to "out" the spy.They were in a bar, and the spy ordered three glasses, using the English/American form, not the German. It was subtle and clever, and frankly you don't expect subtle in a Terrintino movie (though clever IS expected).

[@raytonks2236]

what I also heard about pushing thumbs is that you only push the left one because it makes the hand look like a G for Glück from above but I guess that's a regional thing as well

[@IsaakHunt]

I don't know how you guys have witnessed this, but knocking on the table is done in a corporate environment, too. After a lecture or fruitful meeting, it's the sign that everything's wrapped up and people thank the lecturer or the person who leads a meeting by knocking on the table. I think this is an agreement of some sorts, so that not everybody in the end has to thank the leading person or lecturer personally. At the same time, it signals unison, so that no single person needs further discussion or arguing. Clapping is something you'd do in a much bigger event, like a rally, or speeches at bigger sites.

[@daimyo2k]

The second one with the hand waving... yes, we have it here in the states and it means the same thing.

[@Dorfjunge]

I use the thumb to indicate 1 too. But then my forearm is directed upwards and not horizontal as in the thumbsup. This works well in Germany, Norway and Sweden. So far there never has been any confusion when I ordered a beer.

[@PetraBotekova]

Haha love it. I was really surprised about the knocking thing as well. I've seen it for the first time when I started my studies in Germany and I mean my home country, Slovakia is not even that far away :)

[@feijoada2902]

Actually, people had been accustomed to pressing the index finger's nail into the thumb's skin, decades ago, in order to avoid focus on a worse pain, like when the dentist finishes off with you. My mother and grandmother told me about this quite often. I still use this technique. :-D

hey, good video

[@lilalalara6125]

You can use those crossed fingers in Germany, too. But it means something different. When you promise something and cross your fingers, you didn't really promise. But I think it's mostly used by children.💕🙈

[@verarschmichnicht]

The second one is called "Scheibenwischer" - The way you move your hand in front of your face. Knock instead of clap origin: You need just one hand to knock. So you can knock and write or hold your beer at the same time. If you cross your fingers while making a promise, you don't need to make what you promised. When I was child I always had to check, if there is any fingers crossed.

[@fzoid3534]

knocking on the table.. we had a few guest students and a professor from the US at our university. At the end of the first session with them our poor American fellows flinched and looked heavily shocked when the whole room started knocking on the tables.

[@smalldiniproclubs7848]

2:19 but John Cena does this! :D

[@Horst8oss]

About the "du spinnst" and the pointer finger, in Germany, you should probaly tab your forhead with it 2-3 times. Mostly at the edge/corner, but the middle would be fine, too :)

[@Cathlynn23]

I know the knocking on the table also to greet a huge group of people (or to say goodbye) if you don't want to say hi or goodbye to everyone, for example at a gathering/party

[@KatLoves92]

Clapping is something you do for a nice action e.g in a musical or something. Knocking on the table is if you did something good with your brain like a presentation.

[@MarnVokl]

Pointing your pointer finger on your forehead means "you're crazy"/"bei dir piept's" and pointing that finger on the side of your gead means "ah great idea, haven't think of that".

[@Tippel3]

Am Stammtisch kann das Klopfen auch einfach ein "hallo" oder "auf Wiedersehen" sein, wenn es eine größere Gruppe ist und man nicht jeden einzeln begrüßen kann/möchte oder aber auch nicht jeden kennt der dort sitzt. Ansonsten gibt es auch noch das "toi, toi, toi" 3x auf Holz(!) klopfen. Das bedeutet so viel wie "hoffentlich geht das gut" oder "es möge gelingen". Die Herkunft davon ist auf Wikipedia ganz gut erklärt. Gekreuzte Finger bedeuten hier eher das man schummelt oder lügt. Aber die Bedeutung von Dana ist hier auch nicht unbekannt und wird im Kontext meist verstanden. Das "wedeln" vor dem Gesicht bedeutet sowas wie "der hat sie doch nicht mehr alle" und deutet sowas etwie einen Scheibenwischer beim Auto an. Die Person sollte also mal für klare Sicht sorgen. Dann gibt es noch etwas zwischen dem "Fingertippen" und dem "vor dem Gesicht wedeln", das ist wenn man mit dem Zeigefinger zum Schläfenbereich hin eine Kreisform macht. Das bedeutet "der hat eine Schraube locker" und die Drehung deutet das Gewinde an bzw dass die Schraube mal wieder festgezogen werden sollte.

[@minski76]

Knocking instead of clapping requires a desk, so, yeah I only know it from classroom/conference room situations. And knocking on the table in social gatherings I never saw as a thanks but as a greeting to a larger group sitting at said table.

[@AlexJones-ue1ll]

The knocking on a table is also a form of greeting. If you come to a gathering of multiple people you know you might just knock a view times on the table when you enter instead of greeting everyone individually. In the same way it is sometimes done if someone leaves. But that might just be regional thing^^

[@jmcosmos]

I would interpret waving the hand in front of your face as meaning "Helloooo!! Wake up! Is anybody home in there?"