Dumb Charades Rules: How to Play the Classic Acting Game

Dumb charades is one of India's best loved group games, played at family get togethers, kitty parties, college fests, office outings and wedding functions. One player acts out a word or title without speaking while their team tries to guess it before the timer runs out. The game is simple, needs only paper and a phone, and gets louder and funnier as the evening goes on. Below are the standard dumb charades rules, the signs for words and syllables, scoring and a list of word ideas to get you started.

The game is the same family of games as charades played around the world. The Indian version is famous for its signs and for using film and song titles, but you can play just as well with everyday words, places and actions.

Quick rules

• Divide players into two teams.
• The opposing team chooses the word or title and tells it only to the actor, usually by writing it on a chit or whispering it.
• The actor shows the category and number of words with signs, then acts out the answer without speaking.
• No talking, lip movements, writing or pointing at objects that give the answer.
• The team guesses within a time limit, usually 2 to 3 minutes.
• A correct guess scores a point. Teams take turns, and the team with the most points wins.

What you need

• Paper chits and pens
• A bowl or box for each team's chits
• A phone timer or stopwatch
• Paper or our scorekeeper for points

Setup

1. Form two teams. Mix ages and families so the teams are balanced. The team generator can do it for you.
2. Agree the categories. Decide what is allowed: everyday words, places, festivals, food, songs, film titles or a mix. If children are playing, keep to words they know.
3. Prepare chits. Each team writes words or titles for the other team, folds the chits and puts them in a bowl. Many groups skip chits and let the opposing team whisper a title to the actor instead.
4. Set the timer. Two minutes works for most groups, three minutes for long titles.

How to play dumb charades

1. Get the word. The actor picks a chit from the other team's bowl or is told the answer quietly.
2. Show the category. Use the agreed category sign so your team knows what kind of answer to look for.
3. Show the number of words. Hold up that many fingers.
4. Pick a word to act. Hold up fingers again to show which word you are starting with. You do not have to go in order.
5. Break it into syllables if needed. Place fingers on your forearm to show the number of syllables, then show which one you are acting.
6. Act it out. Use gestures, expressions and the signs below. Your team calls out guesses.
7. Confirm the answer. When the team says it exactly, touch your nose and point at the person who got it. The timer stops and the team scores.

Signs used in dumb charades

Signs vary a little between families and groups, so run through them once before you start. In mixed language groups, some groups add one extra sign to show whether a title is Hindi, English or a regional language. Agree on these at the start so nobody argues later.

Scoring

How to win

Play until every player has acted at least once, or for a fixed number of rounds. The team with the most points wins. If the scores are tied, each team plays one more turn with a tough word.

Word ideas for dumb charades

You do not need film titles to have a great game. Everyday words and Indian themes work very well, especially with children and older relatives. Try these:

• Festivals and occasions: Diwali, Holi colours, kite flying, garba, rangoli, mehendi, wedding baraat, birthday cake cutting
• Food: pani puri, making rotis, rolling dosa batter, drinking hot chai, eating a mango, sweet shop
• Daily life: auto rickshaw, traffic jam, power cut, monsoon rain, train journey, crowded bus, morning walk
• Sports and games: cricket, kabaddi, carrom, kho kho, gilli danda, badminton
• Hard ones: procrastination, jet lag, peer pressure, deja vu, stage fright, democracy

For hundreds more, use the picker below or open the full list. It has words for kids, animals, jobs, objects, places and harder ideas.

Variations

• Film and song round: the classic version uses Hindi and regional film or song titles. It is great for movie lovers, but keep a word round too so everyone can join in.
• Kids dumb charades: use animals and actions, skip syllable signs, and allow a longer timer.
• Kitty party version: play in pairs rather than teams, with a 60 second timer and a small prize for the top pair. See more kitty party games.
• Online dumb charades: play on a video call. The opposing team sends the word to the actor by private message.

Tips and strategy

• Start with the easiest word. Showing the number of words and then acting the simplest one gives your team a foothold.
• Use sounds like for tough words. Act out a rhyming word your team will get quickly.
• Use expressions. Faces carry a lot of meaning, especially for emotions and actions.
• Guessers, keep talking. Shout out every idea, as there is no penalty for wrong guesses.
• Keep chits fair. Choose words that are tricky but possible, not obscure.

House rules to agree first

• Is pointing at objects in the room allowed?
• Are sound effects allowed, such as clapping or tapping?
• How long is the timer, and can the other team steal?
• Which categories are allowed, and are regional language titles fine?

For more Indian party favourites, try antakshari or tambola.