# American Sign Language (ASL)

> The most-taught sign language in North America, with a one-handed alphabet.

- Region: United States & Canada
- Alphabet: one-handed alphabet
- Signs taught: 137
- Lessons: 154
- Graded movement: 102 signs
- Course page: https://signlingo.khe.money/dictionary/asl

## What this course covers

A full beginner course: greetings, pronouns, the whole alphabet, numbers 0–9, and around ninety everyday signs.

## About the language

ASL descends from French Sign Language, not British — which is why an American and a Briton often cannot fingerspell to each other.

## Signs

### A

Make a fist and run your thumb straight up the side of it.

### B

Four fingers straight up and pressed together, thumb folded flat across your palm.

### C

Curve all four fingers and your thumb into the shape of a C, palm to the side.

### D

Index finger straight up; the other three curl down to meet your thumb.

### E

Curl all four fingertips down so they rest on top of your folded thumb.

### F

Touch your thumb and index fingertips into a circle; middle, ring and pinky stay straight up.

### G

Point your index finger sideways with your thumb held parallel just below it.

### H

Index and middle fingers straight and stacked together, pointing sideways.

### I

Pinky straight up, everything else closed into a fist.

### J

Start in the I handshape, then trace a J in the air with your pinky.

### K

Index and middle fingers up in a V, thumb pressed into the gap between them.

### L

Index finger up, thumb straight out sideways — a right angle.

### M

Fold your thumb into your palm and lay three fingers over it.

### N

Fold your thumb into your palm and lay two fingers over it.

### O

Curve every finger down to meet your thumb in a round O.

### P

The K handshape rotated to point downward.

### Q

The G handshape rotated to point downward.

### R

Cross your index finger over your middle finger and hold them up.

### S

A tight fist with your thumb wrapped across the front of your fingers.

### T

Make a fist with your thumb poking up between your index and middle fingers.

### U

Index and middle fingers straight up and held together.

### V

Index and middle fingers straight up and spread into a V.

### W

Index, middle and ring fingers up and spread; thumb holds your pinky down.

### X

Hook your index finger like a crooked finger; everything else stays closed.

### Y

Thumb and pinky stretched out, the three middle fingers closed.

### Z

Point your index finger and draw a Z in the air.

### 0

Every finger curves down to meet your thumb — the same round shape as the letter O.

### 1

Index finger straight up, thumb folded across the other fingers.

### 2

Index and middle fingers up and spread — the same as the letter V.

### 3

Thumb, index and middle fingers up; ring and pinky folded down.

### 4

Four fingers up and spread, thumb folded across your palm.

### 5

Open hand, all five fingers spread wide.

### 6

Thumb touches your pinky; index, middle and ring stay up — the letter W shape.

### 7

Thumb touches your ring finger; index, middle and pinky stay up.

### 8

Thumb touches your middle finger; index, ring and pinky stay up.

### 9

Thumb touches your index finger; middle, ring and pinky stay up — the letter F shape.

### me — I / me

Point your index finger at your own chest.

### you

Point your index finger straight ahead, at the person you are talking to.

### my — my / mine

A flat open hand laid on your chest.

### what

Both hands open, palms up, shaken slightly — a shrug in your hands.

### where

Index finger straight up, shaken quickly side to side.

### understand

A hooked index finger by your forehead, flicking up straight.

### again — again / repeat

A curved hand flips over and taps into your other open palm.

### slow

One flat hand drawn slowly up the back of the other.

### nice — nice / clean

One flat palm slides across the other, as if wiping it clean.

### who

Thumb tip on your chin, index finger shaking bent and straight — eyebrows down.

### I love you — ILY

Thumb, index and pinky out together — the letters I, L and Y stacked into one hand.

### hello — hi / hey

A flat hand at your forehead, fingers together, swept out and away like a salute.

### meet — meet / met

Both index fingers point at each other and move together — fingertips stay apart.

### bye — goodbye / good-bye

Open hand up, wave side to side at the wrist — the same gesture hearing people use when leaving.

### yes

Make an S fist and nod it up and down at the wrist, like a head saying yes.

### no

Index and middle fingers snap down onto your thumb, like a beak closing once.

### thank you — thanks / thank

Flat hand, fingers together, touching your chin then moving forward toward the person.

### please

Flat hand on your chest, circling once, clockwise from your point of view.

### sorry

An A fist on your chest, circling.

### help

An A fist resting on your flat open palm, both lifted together.

### more

Both hands in flat O shapes, fingertips tapping together twice.

### eat — food

Fingertips and thumb gathered into a point, tapping your lips.

### drink

A C hand tilted toward your mouth, as though holding a glass.

### water

The W handshape tapped twice against your chin.

### name

Two H hands — index and middle straight and together — crossed and tapped twice.

### learn

Gather from your other flat open palm and lift to your forehead, closing as you go.

### friend

Two hooked index fingers linked together, then swapped over.

### stop

A flat blade hand chopping down onto your other open palm.

### good

A flat hand moving down from your chin into your other open palm.

### finish — done / already

Both open hands facing you, flicked outward once.

### deaf

A straight index finger touching near your ear, then near your mouth.

### sign — to sign / signing

Both index fingers extended, circling alternately toward you.

### mother — mom / mum

Open hand, thumb tip on your chin — tap once or twice.

### father — dad

Open hand, thumb tip on your forehead — tap once or twice.

### baby

Both arms together as if holding an infant, rocking gently back and forth.

### family

Both F hands trace a circle in front of you, as if around a dinner table.

### now

Both Y hands, palms up, move down a few inches in front of you.

### today

Both Y hands, palms up — the sign for now, moved twice.

### tomorrow

A fist with thumb up, thumb tip at your cheek, arcing forward.

### yesterday

A fist with thumb up, thumb tip at your cheek, arcing back toward your ear.

### week

Index finger of one hand sliding forward across your other flat open palm.

### want

Both open hands palms up, pulled toward you and closing into claws.

### need — need / must / should

An X hand in front of you bends downward at the wrist.

### like — like / enjoy

Middle finger and thumb extended near your chest, brought together as the hand moves forward.

### have

Both bent hands a few inches from your chest, pulled back to touch it.

### go — go / going

Both index fingers trace a short arc forward away from you.

### work

Both S fists palm-down — the dominant taps the side of the other wrist twice.

### home

Flat hand at your cheek, moves an inch toward your ear and touches again.

### school

Flat dominant hand tapped down onto your other flat palm twice, like a quiet clap.

### boy — boy / male

Open hand at your forehead — grab the brim of an imaginary cap and close your fingers.

### girl — girl / female

A-hand at your chin — trace along your jaw with your thumb, from ear toward chin.

### why

Touch your forehead with your fingers, then pull your hand forward and down into the letter Y.

### how

Both curved hands, knuckles touching, roll forward until your palms face up.

### when

Hold one index finger up; circle the tip of your other index finger around it and touch.

### know

Flat hand, fingertips touching the side of your forehead.

### think

Index finger touches your forehead — start an inch away, then touch.

### happy

Both flat hands in front of your chest, palms toward you, circling upward.

### sad

Both hands in front of your face, palms in, dragging down.

### fine — fine / okay / ok

Open hand on your chest — thumb tip touches twice.

### apple

Knuckle of your index finger against your cheek, pivoting back and forth.

### milk

C hand in front of you, closing twice into a fist.

### hungry — hungry / wish

C hand moving down the middle of your chest.

### cookie

Loose C hand on your other palm — press down, lift, twist, and press again.

### house

Both flat hands with fingertips pointing forward — the dominant on top forms the roof over the other.

### store — store / shop

Both flattened O hands pointing down, as if holding a sheet of paper — pivot them forward twice.

### chair — chair / sit

Flat non-dominant palm out like a seat — bent dominant hand taps onto it twice, as if sitting down.

### cat

Open F hand at your cheek — thumb and index spread — pull out to the side and close into an F.

### can — can / able

Both S fists in front of you, pushed downward about six inches.

### sleep

Flattened O hand in front of your face, palm toward you — move down toward your chin as your fingers curl inward.

### bathroom — bathroom / toilet

T hand palm facing away from you — shake it side to side a couple of times.

### book

Both flat hands palms together in front of you — open them apart twice, like opening a book.

### paper

Strike your open palm with the back of your other flat hand twice — only the top hand moves.

### read

Index and middle fingertips on your other flat palm, sliding across as if scanning lines on a page.

### write

Index fingertip on your thumb, scribbling across your other open palm.

### see — see / look-at

V hand in front of your face, palm facing you — fingers point toward what you saw.

### look — look / look-at

V hand palm facing out — aim it toward what you want someone to look at.

### hear — hear / sound

Index finger at your ear — tap twice.

### money

Flattened O in your dominant hand — smack it onto your other open palm twice.

### buy — buy / purchase

Flattened O above your other open palm — brush forward off the palm as if handing over money.

### pay

Index fingertip on a coin in your other open palm — flick it forward to the person you are paying.

### rain

Both open hands above you, fingers spread — wiggle them downward like falling drops.

### sun

Flattened O near your forehead — circle once, then open it as your hand drops an inch.

### hot — hot / heat

Claw hand at your mouth — pull it outward and downward quickly.

### cold — cold / chilly

Both S fists in front of you — shake your arms as if shivering.

### shirt

Both hands pinch the fabric at your upper chest — tug outward a couple of times.

### shoes

Both S fists — tap the backs together twice, gently.

### wait

Both open hands raised to the side — wiggle your fingers.

### with — with / together

Both A hands in front of you, palms facing — press them together.

### big — big / large

Both bent L hands in front of you, palms facing each other — pull them apart.

### small — small / little

Both flat hands in front of you, palms facing — bring them together quickly.

### phone — phone / call

Y hand at your ear — a small double movement, like holding a handset.

### wrong — wrong / incorrect

Y hand at your chin — twist it across your jaw.

### bad

Flat hand fingertips at your lips — pull down and away, palm ending downward.

### bed

Both flat hands pressed together at the side of your head, as if on a pillow.

### blue

Make the letter B and shake it gently from side to side.

### green

Make the letter G — index and thumb parallel, pointing sideways — and shake it.

### yellow

Make the letter Y — thumb and pinky out — and twist it at the wrist.

### purple

Make the letter P — the K hand turned to point down — and shake it.

### red

Draw your index finger down from your lips, like tracing them.

### black

Draw your index finger sideways across your forehead.

### white

An open hand on your chest, pulling away and closing to a flat O.

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