An apparatus for false twisting threads has three spindles arranged to rotate about substantially parallel axes and fixed at the corners of a triangle centered on the mean path of the thread with friction elements carried by the spindles overlapping each other and means for moving a thread from a position outside the friction elements into a position where the thread follows a zig-zag path between the friction elements and is twisted thereby through an intermediate position where the thread first engages only some of the friction elements and is then moved into position for full rotation.