Hand Jobs

Art Direction and Explanations By Mariana Metri, As Told To Sarah Steinberg

Photos By Fernanda Negrini

Recently, Brazil was heralded by the internet as having the world’s most enviable form of codified body-language-speak. We wanted in on the secret, so we called our pal Mariana in São Paulo and had her round up

a bunch of her cute friends to pantomime some of the most useful undercover Brazilian hand gestures—and in the process explain the finer points of interpersonal Brazilian communication. Pay close attention:

You may need some of this stuff one day.

Você é idiota?

(“Are you an idiot?”)

arrr

Fudeu!

(“Screw you” or “Screw me”)

Vai um cafezinho?

(“Want to go for a coffee?”)

Saco cheio (“Full sack”)

Banana (“Banana”)

Dor de cotovelo

(“Pain of the elbow”)

emotional

Sujou! (“Now it’s gone dirty” or “Now I’m fucked”)

this

Tá de boa (“All is good”)

Que delícia!

(“That’s delicious!”)

Intimidade

(“Intimacy” or “closeness”)

Papo furado

(“He’s talking shit”)

Vai tomar no cu (“Asshole”

or “Go fuck your ass up”)