How To Whistle: 4 Ways - Healthline

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Learn How to Whistle: Four Ways

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Annette McDermott — Updated on May 8, 2023

Whistling through your lips
Whistling with your fingers
Whistling with your tongue
Whistling by sucking in air
Why some people can’t whistle
Prevalence
Takeaway

Barring an underlying medical reason, most people can learn to whistle, using either their lips, mouth, tongue, or fingers.

Why can’t I whistle already?

People aren’t born knowing how to whistle; it’s a learned skill. In theory, everyone can learn to whistle to some degree with consistent practice.

In fact, according to a New Yorker article, whistling is the native language of people in a town in Northern Turkey. Instead of using words to communicate, the town’s inhabitants whistle in a manner similar to bird calls.

If you haven’t yet mastered the art of whistling, give these techniques a try. Practice makes perfect, so don’t be discouraged if it takes several practice sessions before you get it right.

Option 1: Whistling through your lips

If you want to whistle your favorite tunes, you’ll need to learn to whistle out of your mouth using your lips.

Here’s how:

Wet your lips and pucker them.
Blow air through your lips, softly at first. You should hear a tone.
Blow harder, keeping your tongue relaxed.
Adjust your lips, jaw, and tongue to create different tones.

Option 2: Whistling with your fingers

This type of whistling is great for getting someone’s attention or catching a cab.

To whistle with your fingers:

With your thumbs facing you and holding down your other fingers, place the tips of your two pinkies together to form an A shape. You may also use your index fingers, or your thumb and index finger on one hand.
Wet your lips and tuck your lips inward over your teeth (as if you’re a baby whose teeth haven’t come in yet).
Push your tongue back on itself with the tips of your pinkies until your first knuckles reach your lip.
Keeping your tongue folded, your lips tucked, and your fingers in your mouth, close your mouth tightly. The only opening should be between your pinkies.
Blow gently. Air should only come out of the opening between your pinkies. If you feel air escaping anywhere else, your mouth isn’t closed all the way.
Once you’re sure you’re in the right position, blow harder until you hear a high-pitched sound.

Option 3: Whistling with your tongue

This type of whistling produces a softer tone than whistling with your fingers or through your lips.

Follow these steps to give it a try:

Wet your lips and pucker slightly.
With your mouth slightly open, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your two front teeth. You should hear a high-pitched sound.
The more you pucker and the harder you blow, the louder the tone.
Puckering and widening your mouth as if in a narrow smile will produce different tones.

Option 4: Whistling by sucking in air

It may be hard to whistle a tune with this technique. But if you do it loud enough, it’s an effective way to get someone’s attention.

Wet your lips and pucker.
Suck in air until you hear a whistling sound (your jaw may drop slightly).
The harder you suck in air, the louder the sound.

I still can’t whistle! What’s going on?

If you’ve practiced and practiced with no luck, there may be an underlying medical reason for your lack of sound.

When you whistle, a muscular sphincter in your throat called the velopharynx must close completely. If it doesn’t, whistling may be difficult, although there’s no scientific evidence one way or the other.

According to Seattle Children’s, conditions that may cause velopharyngeal dysfunction are:

cleft palate
adenoid surgery
weak throat muscles
too much space between the palate and throat
motor speech disorder

Am I the only one who can’t whistle?

Many people love to “whistle as they work,” as the famous song goes. But for some, it’s a feat that is easier said than done. Why some people can whistle easily while others struggle to make even the slightest toot is somewhat of a mystery.

There are no scientific polls on the number of people who can’t whistle. However, in an informal internet poll, 67 percent of respondents indicated they can’t whistle at all or not well. Only 13 percent considered themselves excellent whistlers.

The bottom line

In most cases, whistling doesn’t have to be that one elusive skill that you just can’t get the hang of. Unless you have a condition that makes whistling challenging, keep practicing and you’ll soon be whistling with the best of them.

Check out: Left brain vs. right brain: What does this mean for me? »

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Can you whistle? (n.d.)http://surveys.pro/statistics/can-you-whistle.htm
How do you whistle? (n.d.)http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-whistle
Nijhuis, M. (2015, August 17). Thewhistled language of northern Turkeyhttp://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-whistled-language-of-northern-turkey
Sgroi, D. (2013, July 29). Whistlingwhile you work: Happiness is good for productivityhttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/happiness-and-productivity-in-the-workplace/
What is velopharyngeal dysfunction?(n.d.)http://www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/eye-ear-nose-throat-conditions/vpd/
Whistling 101. (n.d.)http://www.whistlingtom.com/basic_whistling.htm

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Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Annette McDermott — Updated on May 8, 2023

How To Whistle: 4 Ways - Healthline

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Nutrition

Option 1: Whistling through your lips

Option 2: Whistling with your fingers

Option 3: Whistling with your tongue

Option 4: Whistling by sucking in air

I still can’t whistle! What’s going on?

Am I the only one who can’t whistle?

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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