01Duci duci!
Sweet as a kiss.
Sicilian Gestures
Sicilian hand gestures
Explore 81 traditional Sicilian hand gestures with native names, meanings, images and audio pronunciation.
Open interactive PWA01
02Sti dui filíanu.
They're having a love affair.
03Ma chi ci'cunti? Ma chi capisci chi vai cuntannu?
What nonsense are you talking about?
04Ti scanti!
Scaredy-pants! You're frightened. You're chicken-hearted.
05Trincasti trincasti!
To have one over the eight. You guzzled.
06Matri, matri, chi cosi ranni! "Figghiò lu sceccu masculu!"
Fantastic, great, terrific, awsome, tremendous, incredible. "A donkey has been born."
07Po' nni videmu. Po' nni parramu - po' nni videmu.
See you! Talk to you later; we'll deal with it later.
08Ma chi fa, ti giranu?
1) They're making a fool of you? They're laughing at you. 2) Are you crazy?
09Strinci; quagghiumu.
Spit it out! Get to the point!
10Tagghiamu!
Make it short!
11Cci voli propia chistu!
That's exactly right! That's right on.
13Quaquaraquà. Discursi di pepe.
Poppycock. Blabbermouth.
14È quantu un ugnu.
A tiny little bit of it. "The size of a fingernail."
15Menzu.
Half ot it.
16Accussì accussì.
Just so-so.
17Picciuli, munita, pila, grascia, grana, sardella, fasoli.
Money. "Cash, coins, hard cash, dibs, dust, dinero, chinkers, gelt."
18N' c'è nenti.
Nothing. There's no more of it.
19Aieri fu menu d'un annu!
That was way back. It's been a long time.
20Jiri a cavaddu a la mula di li cappuccini.
By foot. "By mule of the monks."
21Viri che i scippi.
You carry things so far that I'll belt you one.
22Ti manciu, se ti acchiappu!
You'll be sorry if I catch you!
24Che bellu ciuri!
A peach of a girl!
25Aviri la santa granfa. Arrubbau. Larruni è.
He has stolen (he's a thief). E.g. someone is asking "why has he been arrested?" Someone else answers by this gesture.
26Arricògghiti li pezzi. Va' fatti la via cu lu lustru.
Get off! Go away! Clear away!
27Si la cugghiu.
He's dead.
28E io chi fazzu, lu pupu?
What about me? "And what about me - I'm the puppet?"
29Salutamu, e cu' si vitti si vitti.
Bye. Adieu, it's been a complete flop.
30Abbagnicci lu panuzzu.
To take advantage of a situation. To tell coarse jokes. "Let's dampen the bread."
31A cu' a vuoi annacari?
Who do you want to make a fool of?
32Te', mancia, ti pigghia coma ci su'!
You'll get nothing! There's nothing! (e.g. there's nothing to eat)
33Fari li corna.
Knock on wood. Touch wood.
34Curnutu.
Cornuted, horned, cuckold. Depending on the context it might get a positive meaning: clever, shrewd, cunning.
35Ncucchiati.
They're a good match! They make a good couple.
36Essiri lu lazzu cu la strummula.
Close friends.
37Vattinni! Amuninni! Finarimilla.
1) Clear away! 2) Let's go!
38Chista è la zita.
Be content, take it or leave it. "This is the fiancée."
39Figghiu di Diu, ma cu' ti lu fici fari?
What on earth came into your head?
40Aviri lu ciriveddu a ichisi.
To have an "X-brain"(overcrossed). Indicates an eccentrical, odd person.
41Pizzicatu fu.
He's been arrested.
42Te' cca, agghiùttiti chista!
Swallow this! (An undecent gesture of showing impatience and anger)
43Te' cca, mancia!
Take this! "Eat it!" (An extremely provocating gesture, expressing contempt and insult)
441) L'havi tantu. 2) Mi lu fici tantu. 3) Ti lu fazzu tantu.
1) Saved by the bell, e.g. passing an exam. 2) To work one's butt off (working hard). 3) I'll serve with the same sauce!
45Cca nun ci chiovi.
Down here it's not raining. That's a sure thing.
47Aria netta, nun havi paura de troni.
To be blameless. "Clean air, don't be afraid of the lightning." (An outdated gesture, little-known.)
48Orvu di l'occhi.
Cross my heart. I swear. "Blind eyes."
49Facciatagghiata.
A sly dog. A bright fellow. Smart, cunning.
50Nenti sacciu, nenti haiu dittu, e si dittu chiddu c'haiu dittu, nun I'haiu dittu.
I don't know anything about anything.
51Nun ci nesci nenti, nun mi 'ncodda mancu a brodu.
Never ever. No chance!
52Nto 'n occhiu.
Absolutely wrong. "In the eye." (An outdated gesture, little-known.)"
53Si mi pigghia lu virticchiu ...
If I'm feeling my oats … If I'm getting euphoric …
54Ma chi si' foddi?
That's no concern of mine.
55Iddu e ricchiuni.
He's gay.
56M' arristò nei cannarozzi.
It's stuck in my throat. (e.g. somebody's behavior)
57Cùsiti la vucca.
Don't say a thing about it!
58Aviri la nasca tisa.
To be stuck-up.
59Ti scippu l'occhi.
I'll scratch your eyes out.
60Ittavu lu sangu.
I've been sweating blood. It costed me a big effort.
61Spiuni, muffutu, cascittuni, sbirru.
Spy, rotted, toilet bowl, rag. Referring to the former use of putting the spy's head in the toilet bowl of the prison cell: who doesn't respect the "omertà" (law of Mafia) stinks. (An outdated gesture, little known.)
62Cu' licca nun sicca.
Who licks doesn't desiccate. "Liccari" is ambiguous: 1) to lick 2) to have a love affair (thereby the eyes are looking up regarding the object of love)
64'N casciuni.
In prison. To be behind bars.
65Po' cantari ad unnu!
Pull the other one!
66Aviri lu nasu tagghiatu.
Matchmaking. "To have a cut off nose." Possible origin: Punishment during the reign of Wilhelm II, Sicilian King of the 12th century. (An outdated gesture, little-known.)
67Essiri tiratu.
To be stinted.
68Chi beddu spicchiu di mennula amara!
"What a fine piece of bitter almond" 1) Oh dear, you're not an easy person! 2) smart, cunning.
69Nni pigghiamu 'na tazzudda?
Let's have a cup of coffee.
70Mi la fici petri petri!
Saved by the bell. That was close!
71Dijunu sugnu.
1) I haven't eaten. 2) Starveling. To be down on one's uppers.
72Mi fazzu li vudedda fradici.
"It's rottening my bowels." Expression of inner rage, despite, oppressed anger.
73Chi ti spaccassi la facci!
Perish! "That your head's beeing split."
74Rùsica!
"Knaw it off!" Instead of holding out one's hand it's the elbow for knowing off. It's a sign of refusing aid.
75Nenti.
Nothing. Didn't work out. (e.g. a date or a car purchase)
76Duna accura!
Watch it!
77La manu 'n pettu non mi 'mpinci.
Clear conscience. "The hand on my breast ist not caught", i.e. trust me, you can rely on me.
78Si tocchi! si tocchi!
Touch it! Touch it! (Typical male gesture, to avert danger, if a situation is encountered, which bodes disaster, e.g. passing a funeral procession or accident.)
79Ammuccari.
1) to swallow (up), to devour, to bite into 2) to congratulate …
80Amuninni a curcare.
Let's go to sleep.
81Duci duci. Bonu.
Sweet, pretty (e.g. a candy or a pretty woman)
82Chistu s'havi a fari!
It's got to be done!
83Essiri 'na vispirina.
Young, slim, pretty.
84Essiri spata e cuteddu.
Incompatible with one another. They get along like cats and dogs.
85Ah, se t'acchiappu!
You'll be sorry if you do that!