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Learn to sign, the easy and fun way

Real sign descriptions for everyday words, the whole alphabet, numbers and the cuss words nobody else teaches you. Every sign comes with a picture and a video link.

Start with A to Z Jump to the cuss words
Two people signing to each other
Fingerspelling
Cuss words included
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36hand pictures
60+signs explained
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The ASL alphabet

One handshape per letter. Spell anything you don't know the sign for yet. These are the classic Gallaudet illustrations.

ASL letter A
A

Closed fist, thumb resting along the side of the index finger.

ASL letter B
B

Flat open hand, fingers together, thumb folded across the palm.

ASL letter C
C

Fingers and thumb curve together into a C shape.

ASL letter D
D

Index finger up, the other fingertips touch the thumb to form a circle.

ASL letter E
E

Fingers bend down so the fingertips rest against the thumb. A closed claw.

ASL letter F
F

Thumb and index touch in a circle, the other three fingers stay straight up.

ASL letter G
G

Index finger points sideways with the thumb parallel under it.

ASL letter H
H

Index and middle fingers held together, pointing sideways, thumb tucked in.

ASL letter I
I

Fist with the pinky sticking straight up.

ASL letter J
J

Pinky up like the letter I, then draw a J in the air with it.

ASL letter K
K

Index finger up, middle finger angled out, thumb tucked between the two.

ASL letter L
L

Index finger up and thumb out, forming a letter L.

ASL letter M
M

Three fingers folded down over the thumb.

ASL letter N
N

Two fingers folded down over the thumb.

ASL letter O
O

Fingers and thumb curve together into a round O.

ASL letter P
P

Same shape as K, but the hand points downward.

ASL letter Q
Q

Same shape as G, but the hand points downward.

ASL letter R
R

Index and middle fingers crossed over each other.

ASL letter S
S

Fist with the thumb crossing in front of the fingers.

ASL letter T
T

Thumb tucked up between the index and middle fingers.

ASL letter U
U

Index and middle fingers up, held tightly together.

ASL letter V
V

Index and middle fingers up, spread apart like a V.

ASL letter W
W

Index, middle and ring fingers up and spread apart.

ASL letter X
X

Index finger bent into a hook.

ASL letter Y
Y

Thumb and pinky out, the middle three fingers down.

ASL letter Z
Z

Index finger out, drawing a letter Z in the air.

Count it

Numbers

Watch the palm. Some numbers flip depending on which way you face, and 6 through 9 all touch the thumb.

ASL number 1
1

Index finger up, everything else closed. Palm toward you.

ASL number 2
2

Index and middle fingers up in a V. Palm toward you.

ASL number 3
3

Thumb, index and middle fingers up. Palm toward you.

ASL number 4
4

Four fingers up and spread, thumb tucked into the palm.

ASL number 5
5

All five fingers up and spread wide.

ASL number 6
6

Pinky finger touches the thumb, the other fingers stay up. Palm out.

ASL number 7
7

Ring finger touches the thumb, the others stay up. Palm out.

ASL number 8
8

Middle finger touches the thumb, the others stay up. Palm out.

ASL number 9
9

Index finger touches the thumb in a circle, the others stay up. Palm out.

10
10

Thumbs-up, given a little shake or twist. No picture needed for this famous one.

ASL number 0
0

All fingers curve together into an O shape.

Say hello

Greetings and the basics

The first signs anyone should learn. Your face does a lot of the talking in ASL, so sign with expression.

Hold a flat hand up beside your forehead, then move it forward and away. Like a casual salute.

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Fingers of a flat hand bend down and up a few times, like a little wave going down.

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Flat hand, fingertips touch your chin, then move forward and down toward the person you are thanking.

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Flat hand circles on your chest, moving in a couple of clockwise circles.

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Fist circles over your heart a few times, with a pained face. The face carries the apology.

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Fist nods up and down, like a head saying yes.

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Index and middle fingers tap down onto the thumb, like a little beak closing. Nope.

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Block the light with one hand, then sign morning with the other. Daylight combo.

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Block the light, then one hand arcs down behind the other like the sun setting.

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Both bent hands roll upward and turn toward each other. Then wait for the answer.

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Two index fingers tap together twice, then point toward the person you are naming.

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Flat hands slide apart and then nod down together. Nice, then a happy little dip.

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Fist with the thumb up rests on your flat open palm, and both hands lift up together.

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Flat hand starts at the chin and drops into your other open palm. All good.

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Who's who

People and family

Mom signs at the chin, dad at the forehead. That's the whole trick for most family signs.

Thumb of a closed hand taps your chin.

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Thumb of a closed hand taps your forehead.

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Both hands in F handshapes arc outward from each other, drawing a circle around the group.

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Index fingers hook together, then unhook and hook the other way.

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Arms cradle and rock a little. Everybody knows this one.

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Sign boy (fingers close on the forehead), then bring two index fingers together. Boy, same.

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Sign girl (thumb strokes down the cheek), then bring two index fingers together. Girl, same.

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Fingers close down on the forehead, like grabbing the brim of a cap.

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Thumb of an open hand strokes down along the cheek and jaw.

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Flat hand starts at the forehead and drops down the chest. A gentleman.

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Flat hand starts at the chin and drops down the chest. The mirror of man.

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Inside

Feelings

Feeling signs are the most facial-expression-heavy signs in the language. Don't hold back.

Flat hand brushes up your chest in little circles, face bright. The face does half the work.

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Fingertips of both hands slide down your face, like the tears are falling.

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Claw hands squeeze on your chest and face, turning red. Big facial expression.

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Open hands jerk up near your body, then freeze. A jolt.

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Crossed arms over your chest, hugging and squeezing. The hug is the sign.

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Both bent hands rest on the chest, then drop down. Batteries empty.

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Open hands with wiggling middle fingers move up your chest. Butterflies.

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Thumb of an open hand touches the center of your chest, fingers open and relaxed. You feel fine.

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Daily life

Everyday words

The stuff you actually say all day: eat, drink, phone, bathroom, stop.

Fingertips of a rounded hand tap the mouth a few times. Chomp chomp.

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A C handshape tips up toward your mouth, like lifting a cup.

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The W handshape taps your chin. Water taps the chin, drink does the motion.

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Fingertips touch your mouth, then the hand closes near your cheek. Home is where the hand ends up.

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One fist taps the back of the other fist a couple of times. Rolling up the sleeves.

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Two flat hands clap down twice, like slapping erasers on a board.

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Palms pressed together, then swing open like you are opening a book.

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Thumb and pinky stick out, thumb by the ear, pinky by the mouth.

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A T handshape (thumb tucked between index and middle finger) shakes side to side. T for toilet.

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Flat hand slides down over your face while the head tilts, landing into your other palm.

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Fingertips of both hands touch each other repeatedly, like pinching more.

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Flat hand chops down into your other open palm. That is enough.

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Asking

Questions

Ask with your eyebrows up. In ASL, raised brows turn any sentence into a question.

Palms up, shoulders shrug up with them. Your face says it too.

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Index finger up, shaking side to side with your brows up.

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Thumb touches your chin while the index finger curls toward it.

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Index finger taps the tip of the other index finger, then circles around and taps again.

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Fingertips of one hand touch your forehead, then swing out into a Y handshape at the chin.

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Two bent hands, knuckles up, roll forward and turn to face up. Then wait.

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The fun part

Cuss words

Yes, ASL swears. These descriptions come straight from documented ASL references, not internet rumors. Which is why the last card exists.

Real talk: cussing at a Deaf person you just met is exactly as rude as it sounds in English. Learn these, save them for the right moment.

The middle finger, held toward someone and pointed at them. The classic. In the 1980s a myth spread that the chin flick means this. It doesn't. See the last card.

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The F handshape changes into a K, tapped together. ASL calls the abbreviated word a loan sign: F-K.

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Two V hands tap twice, dominant hand on top, like two pairs of legs. The exact same sign as sex; your face picks the meaning.

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A D handshape held forward, then shoved down and to the right in an arc, as if damning someone to hell.

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Same arc shove as damn, but with an H handshape instead. Damn's calmer cousin.

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Jam the thumb of your dominant hand down into the fist of your other hand. Ouch, exclamatory.

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A thumbs-up in one hand; the other hand grips the thumb and pulls it upward. Yes, that is really the sign.

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Pointer and pinkie extended, thrust the hand forward. For a joking that's-BS, just sign the letters B S. The two-horns version people show online is New Zealand Sign Language, not ASL.

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The thumb and index side of a B handshape strikes the chin, contact on the index side. Often confused with the sign for be, or breakfast.

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The exact same strike as bitch, but located on the forehead instead of the chin.

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The OK gesture held at chest level with the thumb on top. Also signed by tapping an A twice on the side of the head, or rocking an F downward from the wrist twice.

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A D handshape tapping the nose. Short and efficient.

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The middle finger of a P handshape touches the nose tip, then opens out into an F. Piss, plus a one-letter O-F-F.

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An open hand, fingers cupped in a C with the thumb out, waves under the side of the chin twice. Or the back of a B hand brushes the cheek twice.

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The back of a dominant B hand flips out under the chin. It literally means so what. The myth that it means something worse started in the 1980s.

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