gesticular
verbCEFR B1
What does “gesticular” mean in English?
to gesture, to gesticulate
to gesture, to gesticulate (register-neutral in Spanish, unlike English 'gesticulate' which implies exaggeration)
Example sentences
El ponente gesticulaba constantemente mientras explicaba el concepto, lo que hacía su presentación mucho más dinámica y fácil de seguir.
The speaker gestured constantly while explaining the concept, which made his presentation much more dynamic and easy to follow.
Es bien sabido que los hablantes de algunas lenguas gesticualn más que los de otras; es una diferencia cultural, no individual.
It is well known that speakers of some languages gesture more than those of others; it is a cultural difference, not an individual one.
Le pedí que dejara de gesticular tanto porque me distraía cuando intentaba concentrarme en lo que decía.
I asked him to stop gesticulating so much because it distracted me when I was trying to concentrate on what he was saying.
How to use it
Gesticular means 'to gesture' or 'to gesticulate'. It is an intransitive verb used to describe expressive use of hands, arms, and facial movements while communicating. In Spanish, gesticular is register-neutral — it simply means using gestures expressively. In English, 'gesticulate' has a slightly exaggerated connotation; Spanish gesticular does not. Common in descriptions of speakers, conversations, and cultural observations. The noun is el gesto (gesture, also expression/grimace) and gesticulación (the act of gesticulating).
Common mistake
False register transfer: English 'gesticulate' is often used pejoratively or to imply exaggeration; Spanish gesticular is neutral. Don't over-specify the register. Also: gesto and gesticular are related but gesto is often used for facial expressions too (un gesto de sorpresa = a look of surprise), whereas gesticular refers specifically to body/hand movement during speech.