"It’s interesting to learn about how people count on their fingers in different countries… I mean the way people show the digits with their fingers.  In the U.S., people show the forefinger for 1, so do the Spanish. While in France, we show the thumb, so do the Germans.  In Morocco, they join the thumb and the pinkie for one, the thumb and the ring finger for two…" -Monique

That’s interesting! 

In the US, we count one way (staring with the index finger) if we’re counting on our fingers for another person to see. But we count differently if we’re only counting on our fingers to ourselves (i.e. with no one else in the room). In the latter case we start with the thumb, then put up the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the pinkie.

When we count on our fingers for someone else, we do it like this:

Start with the index finger for one.

For two, we put up the index and middle finger.

For three, we put up the index finger, middle finger and ring finger.

For four, we put up the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and the pinkie.

For five we add the thumb, thus putting up all five fingers.

But when we count on our fingers to ourselves, we start with the thumb and add fingers in this order: the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and pinkie.

To order one cup of coffee in a café in the US, we put up our index finger (like the pic for counting 1 above).

The French start counting with their thumb for one.

For two, they hold up the thumb and index finger.

For three, they hold up the thumb, index finger and middle finger.

For four, they hold up the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and pinkie.

For five, they hold up all five fingers.

To order one coffee in a café in France, you only put up your thumb.

How do you count on your fingers in your country? Let us know in the comments below or you can email me photos showing how you count.

Mama Lisa

Monique Palomares works with me on the French and Spanish versions of Mama Lisa’s World.