To signal the number 3 in Germany using your fingers, you extend the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This differs from the Anglo-American method of using the index, middle, and ring finger. Counting in Germany typically begins with the thumb representing 1.
In English for “three” the sign is with the index, middle and ring fingers, and in German it's with the thumb, index and middle fingers. 🎥: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
In Germany, counting begins with the thumb, so 'three' is thumb + index + middle finger. In the UK, people almost never use the thumb: they show 'three' with index + middle + ring finger instead.
Since the German sound ei is used in the German numbers 1, 2, and 3, it makes a nice rhyme: Eins, zwei, drei. Ein is also the only number in German that needs to be conjugated.
How to count on your fingers - US and Germany Differences
What does the 3 mean in Inglourious Basterds?
In Inglourious Basterds, the three-finger gesture is a crucial plot point revealing the British spy (Lt. Hicox) as an imposter because he uses the Anglo-American method (thumb, index, middle finger) for counting three, while Germans and most of Europe count starting with the thumb (thumb, index, middle finger), making his index, middle, and ring fingers up a fatal giveaway to the Gestapo officer. It signifies cultural difference, but some theories suggest German Major Hellstrom knew they were spies earlier, using the gesture as a final confirmation or even a deliberate taunt.
What does 🖕 Middle Finger emoji mean? The middle finger emoji represents the physical act of raising one's middle finger—considered an obscene gesture in many cultures—and is used for offensive or humorous effect.
Left Hand: Wear money attract bracelet on your left hand if your goal is to receive money, luck and wealth. The left hand is believed to be the “receiving hand,” which means it helps pull good energy, money flow and new chances toward you.
Finally, as a way of indicating the count of three, it might matter what fingers you use. Anglo Saxons, Americans and Asians would use the middle three, but most Germans signify the count of three using their thumb and two other adjacent fingers, possibly due to their ancient connection to the schwurhand.
When joining a group, it is common to shake hands with each person for greeting. Similarly, German people also shake hands when they leave. This practice is not limited to the business environment but also happens on social occasions. If you meet close friends or family, you can give hugs instead.
Yes, Backpfeifengesicht (pronounced roughly as bahk-FY-fuhn-guh-zikh-t) is an insult, though a colloquial and humorous one, describing a face that looks like it deserves a slap or punch, used for smug, annoying, or irritating faces. It's not a vulgar swear word but rather a cheeky term highlighting someone's unpleasant expression, combining Backe (cheek) and Pfeife (whistle/slap), meaning "a face that needs a slap".
What is donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän?
The German word “Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän” 🛳️ means “Danube steamship company captain.” It's one of those famously long German words!
While the United Kingdom, British territories and Hong Kong as well as other countries use 999, the emergency number to use in Germany and the European Union is 112.
The gesture was devised by Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy as a salute for the alien Vulcan species, and is popular within the science fiction fandom and nerd culture. The blessing phrase "live long and prosper" (written by Theodore Sturgeon) is frequently spoken alongside it.
The title (but not the story) was inspired by Italian director Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 Euro War film The Inglorious Bastards, but deliberately misspelled as "a Basquiat-esque touch". Tarantino wrote the script in 1998, but struggled with the ending and chose instead to direct the two-part film Kill Bill.
