Warning: Many of these gestures can be vulgar; stars indicate how much (* = off-color, ** = somewhat offensive, *** = extremely offensive)

Italian Hand Gesture	Italian phrase(s) associated with gesture	English translation/interpretation
toss something behind back	Multi anni fa...	"A long time ago", "Way back when..."
index finger spins forward in circle	Dopo, Ci vediamo dopo	"Later", "See you later"
drill finger into cheek	Buono, Bello, Delizioso	"Good!", "Beautiful!", "Delicious!"
kiss fingertips and toss away	Al Bacio, Benissimo, Bellissimo	"Wonderful!"
pinch fingers, draw straight line	Perfetto	"Perfect!"
hands together in prayer	Per favore, Ti prego, Ma va, Mamma mia!	Asking for something "Please," "I beg you", "Come on"...or just expressing frustration/emotion "Good Lord!" (see Italian Voices column for more things that "Mamma mia" can mean)
side of index fingers tapping together	Sono vicini, Se l'intendono, Sono d'accordo	That two things or people are close/nearby, and possibly literally or figuratively in bed with each other.  "There's something going on with those two", "They understand each other" etc.
"time out" with side of hand	Andiamo via, Smamma, Vattene	Leaving; could be either person or both: "I'm leaving," "Go away" or "Let's go"
straight hand taps stomach	Ho fame	"I'm hungry"
make pistol with thumb/index finger, rotate	Guasto, Non posso, E finito, Non c'è, Non se ne fa nulla, Non lo so, Mi dispiace	"It's broken", "Sorry, I can't help you", "There isn't any more", "Nothing can be done", "I don't know"
tug lower eyelid	Fa attenzione, (Che) furbo, Intesa	"Watch out", "That guy is sneaky", "What a smart alleck"
turn large imaginary knob	Rubare	"(Someone is trying) to steal"
upturned hand, pinch fingertips together	Pieno	"Full", "Crowded"
stirring imaginary bowl with fingertips*	Segreto, Marachella	"Something secret/illicit is going on", "What witches' brew are they stirring?", "Let's slip away to somewhere private"
thumb slices down cheek*	Intelligente, Bravo/a/e/i	"That guy/gal is really sharp", "I like that/him/her"
chin flick*	Non me fa niente, Non m'importa, Me ne frego	"Who cares?", "I don't give a damn", if done violently could be "I don't give a f---" (also in Naples can mean a forceful "No")
index finger/hand taps head*	Pazzo, Matto, Toccato, Svitatto	"You/he/she is crazy!"
thumping downturned hand on chest*	Che peso, Mi sta qua	"I can't stand him/her", "I can't take any more of this"
shake hands up and down, fingertips together, at chest/waist level (* to ***)	Ma cosa vuol dire, Non ci credo, Per che?	"I don't agree", "I don't believe it", "What am I supposed to do?" The lower it is, the more offensive--e.g. done at your crotch it is a bit like "Why are you busting my f---ing balls?"
fingertips together and wagged towards face (* to ***)	Che (cazzo***) vuoi?	Depending on how violently you shake your hands, this could be from a relatively polite, "What did you say?" to a very rude "What the f--- do you want?".  If fingers are upturned (not towards face), it is just a way of showing emphasis.
hands cup imaginary balls**	Che palle (Neapolitan: Che guallera*** [sounds like "wallera"])	"How boring!"
UT hook 'em horns***	Cornuto ("fa la corna")	"Screw you!" (Literally: You have been cuckolded--i.e. your spouse is cheating on you.)
one arm strikes the inside elbow, other arm goes up***	Tie!, Vaffanculo!	"F--- you!" (European version of the middle finger--which is also used.)
honking horn with palm***	Si tromba? / Vuoi scopare?	"Want to f---?"  (Literally, "blow the trumpet" / "sweep")
flick ear***	Gay	"You're gay/lesbian"
both hands out, forming a box with index fingers & thumbs*** [watch Tony Soprano doing it]	Ti faccio un...(culo così)	"I'll kick your a--" (Literally, "I will make your a--hole this big")

Resources for Learning More About Italian Hand Gestures

• Eurocosm's Italian hand signals page is the most extensive and descriptive, but it is completely in Italian.
• The Guardian (click on "Galleries" on the left) and Don Alonso both teach you a handful of gestures but well.
• About.com's Italian Hand Gestures page has a long list but the cartoons are not always clear and some are not very useful (e.g. you can figure out "Andiamo a dormire" by yourself)
• Nada Vergili's Italian Hand Gestures video is a funny introduction, and a sequel video has some more gestures about halfway through.
• Alfredo Cassano explains Italian gestures in a three part cartoon.
  
• Marcello Mastrantonioni's video, with his over-the-top caricature of Italian machismo, includes some hillarious random gestures.
• La mimica degli antichi investigata nel gestire napoletano is a classic, scholarly book about Neapolitan gestures; also see an English translation with commentary by gesture expert Adam Kendon.
• A clip from Boy Meets Girl has a lesson in Italian gestures starting about a minute in.
• Two books, Italian Without Words and Speak Italian: The fine art of the gesture, are pretty funny and describe some good gestures but nevertheless leave out some of the most important.
• Some videos that include language not suitable for children but nevertheless informative/interesting/entertaining are Paolo Tosolini's useful and quick introduction, an Italian exchange student giving a crash course in front of the Eiffel Tower, and a crazy one with a wifebeater-clad southern Italian guy giving a very animated performance.
• You can also check out Neapolitan-specific gestures on the Portanapoli webpage.