Varnishing her fingernails

Hi,

Can I say,


She likes varnishing her fingernails (on his hand).

Why are her finger nails on his hand?

Perhaps you mean She likes varnishing her fingernails (on her hand).

But this sounds very foolish. Can you see why?

I suggest She likes varnishing her fingernails.

Best wishes

Do people in the U.K. and Canada varnish their fingernails? In the U.S., we polish our nails.

Hi,

I wasn't totally sure about that, but I decided to let it pass.

Clive

Hi Clive and Khoff

Is 'varnishing her finger nails' wrong? 

**** Faber: a report?
by Max Frisch, Michael Bullock - Fiction - 1994 - 214 pages
Page 60
Ivy was varnishing her finger nails and humming. ... Ivy stared at me, then she
suddenly threw her coat across the room and stamped her foot, beside herself ...
No preview available - About this book - A

I don't think you will catch natives on this side of the pond say "I am varnishing my nails".

Here is what I think the reason is: We polish something to make it more shiny and glossy. i.e.

furiture, (after several coats of clear varnish were applied), nails, shoes etc...In other words, it implies and has to do with beauty and appearance.

Varnish - is more for protecti

Nail varnish

Varnished nails

Varnishing her (or indeed his) nails

All quite common expressions in the UK

Polishing in BrE is as much to do with the action as the result, ie rubbing something with a cloth of brush to make it shine. Varnishing means painting something onto a surface, so varnishing nails would be more common here.

However - I usually say I'm painting my nails!

Um...I'm painting my nails! That's intriquing!

KateJSI usually say I'm painting my nails!

Interesting. I usually say I'm biting my nails.

I've never heard anyone say 'varnishing nails' in the UK. Although it is called nail varnish - we 'paint' our nails.