Continuing with our non-verbal communication series, we’re going to learn another hand gesture common in Brazil.

The two hand slap

This gesture is used to express the idea that you don’t care, or that something doesn’t matter to you.

Let’s say you’re talking with your friend about how your friends got tickets to a show, but you didn’t.

Ah, não me importa. Não queria ir. [insert hand gesture here] Oh, I don’t care. I didn’t want to go.

Or let’s say  you’re talking to a co-worker about politics.

Eu não ligo com essa coisas. [Insert hand gesture here] I don’t care about that stuff.

Here’s how you do it. Hold both hands up, palms facing your chest. Then swing one hand forward and the other back, and then switch them, making sure to make a satisfying slapping sound as you do. Swing them back and forth a few times and make sure they hit each other. Your hands should make the same kind of movement that flippers in a pinball machine make.

What’s another situation you could use this gesture for?