ASL Signs

Theirs

"B" palm makes sweeping motion indicating whom is being referred to.

Name

"H" handshape on both hands. Movement: Tends to be a double movement (but a single movement is also common).

In-Law

(It is not necessary to sign In; the sign for Law is sufficient on its own) Touch the palm of the right "L" hand to the left flat-hand palm. Then pull it off an inch or two, move it down an inch or two and touch the left palm again.

Which

Alternate holding up one "A" hand, and then the other.Remember, when asking "WH"-type questions (using signs such as WHICH, WHY, WHO, WHERE, etc.) you should furrow your eyebrows while doing the sign as part of the question. Also, the handshapes are "loose-thumb"-"A"-handshapes. By that I mean, the thumbs are not tucked close to the rest of the hand.

Get along/Not get along

Bent hands move straight forward. Facial Expressions: Smile→Get along Frown/Shake→HeadNot Get Along

Chat

Both hands form a loose "5" handshape, and alternate up and down.

Sorry

Circle the sign for "A" around your heart

Marriage

Clasping both hands together

Color

Color is signed by taking your fingers to your chin and wiggling them in place.

Hearing/Non-Deaf

Deaf people refer to "Hearing people" by using a sign that looks like words tumbling from the mouth.

Favorite

Favorite is signed by tapping your middle finger on your chin. You take an open palm, indent your middle finger slightly and tap it on your chin.

Common-Law

Finger spell Common, followed by the sign for Law.

Listen

Form a loose sign for "3" beside head, and bend index and middle finger inwards twice.

Sign/Talk in ASL

Form both hands into "1" hand shapes. Then draw a couple of large circles in the air with the tip of each index finger.

Grandson

G at temple falls to inside of left elbow (Version 2: finger spell Grand then sign Son)

Granddaughter

G from chin falls to inside of left elbow (Version 2: Fingerspell Grand then sign Daughter)

Mine

Gently slap open/flat palm to your chest twice.

Have/Possess

Hold "bent" handshapes a few inches out from your upper chest. Move your hands back and touch your chest.

Friend

Hold out both of your index fingers hooked in a C-shape. Holding one hand with your C facing up, hook the second C into the first. Then reverse the position for the hands and do it again. It is like your fingers are best friends and giving each other a hug.

English

Imagine a proper English man with both hands resting on his cane as he sits on a park bench. That may make it easier to remember.

Son

It sort of looks like you are saluting from your forehead to the crook of your left elbow. NO ROCKING!

Baby

Made by placing both arms together as if holding an infant. Then gently rock your arms back and forth.

Engaged

Make "E" with right hand, circle and drop it onto the ring finger of your left hand.

Sick/Ill

Make a face that conveys illness and point your forehead with your dominant hand and to your tummy with your non-dominant hand.

Hard of Hearing

Make an "H" handshape and drop it a few inches, have it bounce up and over to the right and back down again in a small arc.

Black

Make the black sign by taking your index finger and drawing it across your brow. I remember this sign by thinking of Burt from Sesame Street and his big black mono-brow.

Hello

Make the sign by extending your fingers and cross your thumb in front of your palm. Now take the hand, and start with your hand in front of your ear and extend it outward and away from your body

Deaf

Move index finger from near ear to near the mouth.

Gray

Move your hands in a circular forward motion as if you were forming a gray fluffy cloud.

Excited

Open both hands with your middle finger forward a little. Tap your fingers on your chest repeatedly.

What

Palms facing up at your sides, move in and out.

Me/I

Point index finger at your chest.

You

Point index finger toward the person.

Boyfriend

Sign Boy followed by Friend

Girlfriend

Sign Girl followed by Friend

Good Evening

Sign Good Night, but repeat the sign twice instead of once for Evening.

Him/Her

Sign Male or Female followed by the sign for You (Index finger is used for pronouns; words meaning people)

His/Hers

Sign Male or Female followed by the sign for Your (Open palm is used for possessive pronouns; belonging to people)

Husband

Sign Man followed by Marriage

Wife

Sign Woman followed by Marriage

Family

Start by making the ASL sign for F with each hand, making a circle with your thumb and your index finger and extending your other three fingers. Start with the two circles on each hand touching and then circle the two hands around as if you were outlining a group of people.

Dating

Start with your hands slightly apart, palms facing each other, hands in "D" shapes. Bring the hands together to touch at the fingertips, then pull apart about an inch-and-a-half then bring together again. Use a small quick movement.

Purple

Take your P sign and shake it around in front and to the side of your body.

Grandmother

To sign Grandmother, extend and separate your fingers. Start with your thumb on your chin and move your hand forward on one arc and then a second arc.

Boy

To sign boy, bring your fingers and thumb together and apart in front of your forehead. The sign boy looks like you are grasping and releasing the tip of a baseball hat.

Brother

To sign brother, make both hands into an "L-shape" with your thumb and index finger extended. Hold your non-dominant hand down by your chest. Take your dominant hand and starting at the forehead, bring the hand down to your weak hand.

Brown

To sign brown, you make the ASL sign for B (extend your fingers, and tuck your thumb under) and run your index finger down the side of your face. The sign is a little like you are smearing brown war paint on your face.

Father

To sign daddy, extend and spread out your five fingers on your strong hand. Tap your hand on your forehead.

Girl

To sign girl, start by making a fist with your thumb sticking out. Take your thumb and starting at the back of your jaw run the thumb along your jaw ending at your chin. The sign is like running your thumb along the ribbon on a baby's bonnet.

Grandfather

To sign grandfather, take your hand with fingers outstretched. Start with your thumb on your forehead and move your hand forward in one arc, then a second arc.

Green

To sign green make your hand into a fist with your index finger and thumb extended. With your fingers at shoulder level twist your hand back and forth. The sign for green is like twisting the sign for the letter G.

Angry

To sign mad make an angry face and bring an angry looking claw toward your face. To make the claw use your dominant hand and spread your fingers while curving them.

Man

To sign man place your dominant hand with fingers spread and thumb pointing toward the middle of your forehead. Make an arc from forehead to the center of your chest.

Mother

To sign mommy extend and spread your fingers apart. With your pinkie facing forward tap your thumb on your chin.

Orange

To sign orange, take your hand near your chin and repeatedly squeeze it into a fist and relax.It is like you are squeezing an orange.

Please

To sign please, take you hand with fingers extended and all together, and thumb extended and sticking out. Take the hand with palm facing in and rub it in a circle on your chest.

Sister

To sign sister, extend your thumb and index fingers on both hands. Take your strong hand and start with your thumb under your jaw. Then move the strong hand and tap it down on top of your weak hand.

Speak/Talk

To sign talk take the four fingers on your dominant hand and tap them repeatedly on your chin.

Thank You

To sign thank you, extend your fingers and thumb. Touch you fingers to your chin and bring your fingers forward. It is almost like you are blowing a kiss out, to thank the person - but the sign is a bit lower.

Tired

To sign tired, extend your fingers and hold them together. Start with your fingers touching your chest, with your elbows up. Drop your elbows down. It is as if you are so tired you cannot keep holding your arms up.

Uncle

To sign uncle, extend your index finger and middle finger to make the ASL sign for U. Take the hand and move it in small circles to the side of your body at the level of your forehead.

White

To sign white, place your hand on your upper chest with fingers extended. Move your hand away from the chest, while pulling fingers together so that you have all your fingertips touching.

Yellow

To sign yellow, make a fist with the thumbs and pinkie extended (the ASL sign for Y), place the hand by the side of your body and twist the hand from side-to-side.

Woman

Touch the thumb-tip of your dominant "5"-hand to your chin and then bring it down to your chest.

Language

Two "L" hands starting together and moving outwards in waves.

Person

Use both "flat" hands, palms facing each other, and move, hands straight down in front of your body.

Your

With a flat hand, palm facing forward, extend the arm forward toward the person.

How

With fingers pointing downward and backs of fingers and knuckles touching, roll hands inward to your chest and up so that the pinky sides of your hands are touching.

"Sick" of-

With the handshape for feeling next to your head, flick your wrist with your palm turning inwards.

Good Morning

With the second hand, bring the flat and palm up hand from under the first arm up and towards you - like the sun coming up over the horizon.

Who

With your dominant hand, place your thumb on your chin and let your index finger wiggle from the joint. The other three fingers curl under.

Nervous

With your hands out in front of you, palms facing each other, shake your hands. The sign looks like you are nervous or anxious.

Good Night

The sign for night is like the twilight sun setting over the horizon. Hold your weak hand horizontal across your body. Then take your dominant hand with fingers cupped, and raise it up and over the weak hand.

No

The sign for no is like that scolding teacher in high school that always says no to everything. The sign looks like a mouth saying no. Take your index finger together with your middle finger and tap them together with your thumb.

Sweetheart

The sign for sweetheart holds modified "A" hands near the chest (over the heart works well). The sign starts with the thumbs extended and then you bring the thumbs down, up, and down again.

Yes

The yes sign looks a head nodding yes. You take your hand and make it into a fist, holding it at about shoulder height and make your fist bob back and forth.

Depressed

This sign bends the middle fingers forward at the large knuckle. It can but doesn't have to touch the body. Use a single straight down movement and an appropriately sad facial expression.

Daughter

This sign is a combination of GIRL and BABY. Form your right hand into a "flat hand (looks like a "B-hand" or a Karate-chop hand). Touch the fingertips of your B-hand to the right side of your chin, then move the hand down to the crook of your left forearm. NO ROCKING! (Version 2 is transitioning from signing Girl into Baby)

Like

This sign is done with your dominant hand and it starts on the chest. Pull your hand away while making your middle finger and your thumb finger come together as if in grabbing a thread.

Single/Alone

This sign is made by holding the right arm in front of you, palm up. Your right index finger makes circular motions about the size of a quarter. The movement is in your shoulder and elbow, not in your wrist.

Pay Attention

This sign starts near the head and moves forward. But it can start out from the head and move back toward the head if you are telling someone to pay attention to you.

Aunt

To do Aunt, make a fist with your thumb laying flat on top of the fist. Leading with the thumb, move your hand in a small circle near your cheek (but not touching).

Fine

To do the sign for "fine," touch your thumb to your chest. Use a "five" handshape.

Blue

The blue sign is made by making the American Sign Language sign for "B" out by the side of your body. Take your fingers outstretched with your thumb tucked under. Then twist your hand left and right out by the side of your body.

Cousin

The cousin sign is made by making your hand into a C-shape. Place the C-hand by the side of your head and twist it back and fourth. Male Upper area of the head Female Lower area of the head

Don't Know

The easiest way to sign don't know is to shrug your shoulders. Alternatively you can point to your forehead with your dominant hand with fingers together and move your hand away from you.

Sad

The sad sign looks like you are making tears fall down your face. Take both hands with fingers outstretched, and pull them from above your eyes down to about chest level.

Pink

The sign "PINK" is an "initialized" version of the sign RED. Instead of using an "index finger", what you do is use a palm-back "K" handshape and drag the tip of the middle finger down across the lips twice.

Communicate

The sign for "communication" uses "C" handshapes. Alternate moving the "C" hands forward and backward from near the mouth

Divorced

The sign for "divorce" is made by first forming the letter "d" with both hands. Hold both hands together with the palms facing each other. With a twisting motion, move both hands outward and sideways so both palms face forward.

Feel/Feeling

The sign for "feel" uses the middle finger bent at the large knuckle. The tip of the middle finger moves upward along the chest as if representing the feelings inside of you.

Happy

The sign for "happy" is made by placing one or both of your hands in front of you. Use "flat" hands, palms pointing back. Circle your hands forward, down, back, up, forward, down, back, up.

Interpreter

The sign for "interpreter" uses "F" hands. The dominant hand twists. Then you add the "person" sign.

Maybe

The sign for "maybe" holds flat hands (palm up) in front of you and then does a sea-saw movement wherein you raise one hand while lowing the other and repeat. Use an appropriate facial expression.

Red

The sign for "red" is made by making a movement that looks like you are stroking your lips (one time) with the tip of your index finger.

Separated

The sign for "separate" is made by touching both hands together at the knuckles. The hands should both be bent. Now, move the hands away from each other.

So-So

The sign for "so-so" is the same sign as used in the general Hearing community to mean "so so" or "sort of."

Why

The sign for "why" is made by touching (or coming near) your forehead with the fingers of your dominant hand then while bringing your hand forward and down , change it to the letter "y," keeping your palm facing you.

Nephew

The sign for nephew is done by holding a loose "N" up near the side of your head and twisting it forward twice.

Niece

The sign for nephew is done by holding a loose "N" up near the side of your head and twisting it forward twice.