Is "Lana (gesto)" offensive?

It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.

How do you pronounce "Lana (gesto)"?

This one's a hand gesture — there's nothing to pronounce. Hold hand palm-up and rub thumb repeatedly across the fingertips.

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Spanish · Hand Gestures · hand gesture

Lana (gesto)

Money / cash / it'll cost you

1/5 Grandma-safe

mild, playful; fine on daytime TV

The gesture

"Hold hand palm-up and rub thumb repeatedly across the fingertips"

What your hand is actually doing.

How to use it

The universal "money" rub, alive and well in Mexico, where cash is "lana" (wool) or "varo." Rub thumb over fingertips to mean "this costs," "he's loaded," or "pay up." Totally clean and endlessly practical — pair it with a raised eyebrow at a price and you're negotiating like a local.

Heard in the wild

¿Te van a ayudar gratis? (frota los dedos) Nel, quieren lana.

Are they helping for free? (rubs fingers) Nope, they want cash.

Where it lands

Mexico (universal); money gesture near-global

Quick answers

What does "Lana (gesto)" mean?: In Spanish, "Lana (gesto)" means "Money / cash / it'll cost you". Literally it's "Hold hand palm-up and rub thumb repeatedly across the fingertips". The universal "money" rub, alive and well in Mexico, where cash is "lana" (wool) or "varo." Rub thumb over fingertips to mean "this costs," "he's loaded," or "pay up." Totally clean and endlessly practical — pair it with a raised eyebrow at a price and you're negotiating like a local.
Is "Lana (gesto)" offensive?: It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
How do you pronounce "Lana (gesto)"?: This one's a hand gesture — there's nothing to pronounce. Hold hand palm-up and rub thumb repeatedly across the fingertips.

Related in Spanish

El codo (gesto) gesture He/she is a cheapskate (stingy) Corte de manga gesture Up yours! / screw you! Medir con la palma hacia abajo gesture Insult: you measure ANIMALS palm-down, people palm-sideways Naco NAH-koh Tacky / trashy / classless Mamón mah-MOHN Stuck-up jerk / smug show-off Rata RRAH-tah Thief / crook / backstabber

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Outrageously expensive".

how to say "Outrageously expensive" →

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