# Can you snap your fingers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255 "2010-12-24T04:28:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/1 "2010-12-24T04:28:09Z")
My fingers are defective; I can’t do it with either hand. I’ve tried and tried, I’ve done research and had instruction but my fingers just don’t do it. I know I’m not the only one! ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/2 "2010-12-24T04:38:48Z")
I used to be able to snap the fingers on my dominant hand only. Age and a couple of injuries have stopped that though. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/3 "2010-12-24T04:51:04Z")
I can snap the fingers of both hands. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/4 "2010-12-24T04:55:05Z")
Can snap both ring and middle fingers of both hands … I must also be defective. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/5 "2010-12-24T04:56:34Z")
Both, but it’s much louder on my left hand. I am right-handed. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/6 "2010-12-24T05:21:05Z")
Of course. I’m hip. Oh, the shark bites…{snap, snap} with his teeth dear…{snap}… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/7 "2010-12-24T05:25:12Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Both, but it’s much louder on my left hand. I am right-handed. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/8 "2010-12-24T05:30:10Z")
Got one snap in my whole life. I can do the motion, but there’s no sound. I don’t even know what is supposed to make the sound. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/9 "2010-12-24T06:41:51Z")
Unevenly, and it depends on how dry my fingers are, but I can do it with both hands. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/10 "2010-12-24T07:07:42Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Got one snap in my whole life. I can do the motion, but there’s no sound. I don’t even know what is supposed to make the sound. The sound comes from your middle finger smacking hard against your palm. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/11 "2010-12-24T07:19:55Z")
It’s one of the things for which I’m definitely left-handed. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/12 "2010-12-24T07:41:41Z")
Both hands, much to the consternation of some righties I know who can’t even do so with their right hand. Now, this is a better question. Is there an overlap between which fingers you can/can’t snap and managing those silly vulcan greetings? I can do that with both hands too, though the reverse greeting with my right hand takes a lot more effort and is sloppier. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/13 "2010-12-24T07:58:19Z")
Unlike the other righties here, I can do it with both, but not quite as well with the left. Y’know, looking back over this thread, and taking some of these responses out of context… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/14 "2010-12-24T07:58:48Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Can snap both ring and middle fingers of both hands … I must also be defective. I can do this as well - pinkies, too. I can make a sort of drumroll snapping pinky, ring & middle finger one one hand and then on the other. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/15 "2010-12-24T09:18:57Z")
Up there with **thule** and **Panurge**. Can’t snap so well with my pinky fingers, but can definitely do the drum roll snap with the middle and ring fingers of both hands. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/16 "2010-12-24T09:59:59Z")
I try not to snap my fingers too often because the servants think I’m summoning them. I’ll have a short window to try it tomorrow since it’s Christmas and I granted each of them 15 minutes off to be with their families. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/17 "2010-12-24T11:37:38Z")
> [@Panurge](#): > > I can do this as well - pinkies, too. I can make a sort of drumroll snapping pinky, ring & middle finger one one hand and then on the other. I can also snap those three fingers on both hands. My index finger just slides down my thumb. My pinkies are not that loud though. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/18 "2010-12-24T14:23:26Z")
I was an adult when I learned how to snap my fingers, so there’s still hope for those who haven’t learned yet. I can only do my dominant hand, BTW. My left hand is uncooperative. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/19 "2010-12-24T14:45:07Z")
Took me to my late teens but yes, both hands. (Properly whistling, OTOH, took decades…) ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255/20 "2010-12-24T15:13:06Z")
Oh wow I may not know what the passive voice is but I can damn well snap both fingers! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-snap-your-fingers/565255.md?page=2)