Start ASL Dictionary (Legacy)

GO-TO BEACH-t USE SUN PROTECT LOTION, GLASSES SUN, UMBRELLA WHY? CHERISH SKIN.

(don't-LIKE FOOTBALL ME)neg BUT (EVERY-THURSDAY EVENING)top ME WATCH TV RACE CAR SHOW (ME ENJOY)aff

ONCE-A-WEEK fs-MAY MY GRANDFATHER WATCH HIS FAVORITE TV SHOW

This sign is referring to a performance.

SEWING (2)

This sign refers to a dog barking.

DOG (2)

This is #DOG - the lexicalized sign for DOG.

EMERGENCY!! Fs-ZOO TIGER ESCAPE! (2H)CL:55(claws like stalking prey) SEARCH++ FOOD!

(HAVE UGLY DOG ME)aff NIGHT HE BARK+++

MY CAT (nd)CL:3(3 list) (first)THICK (second)LAZY (third)SMELL SAME-AS FISH

fs-ZOO I SEE MONKEYS I THINK CONNECT SAME MY SISTER FARM CL:1(index right)

SNAKE CHASE RAT THROUGH TUNNEL DARK

This sign can be made by moving from your ear to your chin or from your chin to your ear.

This phrase is signed as "GOOD AFTERNOON"

This is signed as "GOOD MORNING". This phrase can also be signed more fluidly where your non-dominant hand is only used for MORNING (your dominant hand moves directly from your chin down to sign MORNING).

This is the sign for "BYE" in ASL.

This phrase is signed as "GOOD NIGHT."

This is the sign for HELLO in ASL.

This sign for HOW is used in sentences like, "How are you?"

HOW (2)

This sign for HOW is used in sentences like, "How do you fix this?"

This phrase is signed as: "HOW YOU?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

How are you? (2)

This is a different signer signing "How are you?" This phrase is signed as: "HOW YOU?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

MAN (2)

The phrase is signed here as: "MY NAME D-E-B-O-R-A-H (name-sign)". This is used as an example. Deborah fingerspelled her name first and then gave her name sign, which is the D-handshape moving in a curl downward from her head to indicate curly hair. You can learn more about Name Signs in ASL 1 - Unit 3.

The phrase is signed here as: "NICE MEET YOU." This phrase can also be signed as "NICE MEET" with MEET signed with the back of your dominant hand facing you and the back of your non-dominant hand facing the person you are meeting. When MEET is signed directionally this way, signing YOU is not necessary.

This sign for "no" is used to answer yes/no questions. This sign is NOT used in sentences like, "There are no more cookies left."

This sign is used in sentences like "There are no more cookies left" in place of the "no."

This sign is used in sentences like, "My mom is not a hockey fan."

This sign is used for the word "right" meaning "correct."

This sign refers to sign language or signing, not a sign like a stop sign.

This is the phrase/word "THANK-YOU" in ASL.

Thank you. (2)

This is a different signer signing "Thank you." This is the phrase/word "THANK-YOU" in ASL.

WANT (2)

This phrase is signed as: "YOUR NAME WHAT?" with the wh-question facial expression (eyebrows down).

WOMAN (2)

Plural Forms of YOU

TWO-OF-YOU

THREE-OF-YOU

ALL-OF-YOU

You can learn more about pronouns in Don't Just "Sign"... Communicate! A Student's Guide to Mastering ASL Grammar

Signed as "WELCOME". In context, this can mean "You're welcome". More commonly, you would sign FINE, NO-PROBLEM, or NOTHING (with F handshapes to mean "It was nothing.")

ARGUE (2)

ARGUE (3)

This sign is used to describe more of a "SPAT" type of argument.

FINE (2)

This is a different signer signing FINE.

This can be signed over the part of the body that hurts.

This is signed as "I FEEL OK".

This is signed as "I FEEL TIRED"

This is signed as "I FEEL WONDERFUL"

This phrase is signed as "HOW-OLD YOU?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down). HOW-OLD is signed by signing OLD twice.

This is signed as "I AGE 20". You learn more about signing ages in ASL 1 - Unit 12.

These are numbers that show the order of something (for example: winners in a race). Numbers 1st-9th are shown by forming the handshape of the number and twisting the wrist. Every number after 9th is shown by the number + fingerspelling T-H. Even though English gives a number such as 22 an "nd" ending to make 22nd, all numbers after 9th in ASL use "T-H" afterward.

1st-9th = NUMBER + (Wrist Twist)
9th+ = NUMBER + T-H

This phrase is signed as: "SEE-YOU LATER." The sign SEE moves toward the person you are talking to. The sign LATER is made by taking the L-handshape and moving your wrist from palm-forward to palm-down (it refers to the hands moving on a clock).

This phrase is signed as: "TAKE-CARE". This is like saying "take care!" when you say goodbye in English.

APPLE (2)

This is the initialized (English) version of the sign APPLE.

This phrase is signed as: "PLEASE SLOW".

This phrase is signed as: "PLEASE SIGN AGAIN".

This phrase is signed as: "FINGERSPELL AGAIN?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up). You can also add PLEASE to this phrase if you want.

This is the sign for "EXCUSE-ME" in ASL.

This is signed as "I UNDERSTAND" with the negative facial expression. The sign DON'T is already implied with the facial expression, so it does not need to be signed.

This phrase uses a classifier and is signed as "I CL:1(me)"go" CL:1(me)"come back"". Christine uses the 1-handshape to show herself leaving and then returning.

PIZZA (2)

This is the sign for "SORRY" in ASL.

This phrase is signed as: "SIGN NONE, FINGERSPELL MUST".

This phrase is signed as: "SAY?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down). The rest of the words are implied with the facial expression, so it is only necessary to sign SAY in this phrase. And keep in mind that if you are referring to what someone else said, you will normally glance toward that person momentarily while signing this phrase.

This is signed as "MEANING?" with the wh-word question facial expression. The rest of the words are implied with the facial expression, so it is only necessary to sign MEANING in this phrase.

Signed "WRITE PLEASE."

Here is the phrase "Are you a student?" in ASL. Notice the signs that are used in this phrase. This phrase is actually signed as: "YOU STUDENT YOU?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up).

This phrase is signed as: "YOU DEAF YOU?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up).

This phrase is signed as: "YOU LEARN SIGN?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up).

This sign is the same as the sign for "art" and "design."

This phrase is signed as "NO DEAF, I HEARING" with the first part signed with a negative facial expression and the second part signed with an affirmative facial expression.

PLAY (2)

This sign is referring to a play performance.

STUDENT (2)

This phrase is signed as: "YOUR TEACHER NAME WHAT?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

This phrase is signed as: "YOU LEARN SIGN WHERE?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

Here is the phrase "Who is your teacher?" in ASL. Notice the signs that are used in this phrase. This phrase is actually signed as: "YOUR TEACHER WHO?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

This is signed as "YOU LEARN SIGN WHY?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

WRITE (2)

This is a different signer signing WRITE.

This is signed as "YOU SIGN-FLUENT". The "SIGN-FLUENT" sign is very ASL. There is no direct-word translation of this sign to English. This sign is used to describe someone's signing as fast and smooth. You can create this sign by starting with both of your hands in the the S-handshape, opening your hands into the 5-handshape, wiggling your fingers slightly, and closing them into the S-handshape again. Depending on your facial expressions and body movements, this sign can mean "FLUENT,""very-FLUENT," or "exceptionally-FLUENT," for example.

For this sign, you just sign A-P-T like it is shown. This is called lexicalized fingerspelling and it has become the sign for APARTMENT.

ACROSS (2)

For this sign, you just sign A-P-T like it is shown. This is called lexicalized fingerspelling and it has become the sign for APARTMENT.

This phrase is signed as "YOUR PARENTS DEAF?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up).

This sign refers to a dog barking.

This is #BUS - the lexicalized version of BUS and the more accepted ASL sign for this word.

BUS (2)

This is the initialized and more "Signed English" version of the sign #BUS.

This phrase is signed "YOU READ-LIPS YOU?" with the yes/no question facial expression (eyebrows up).

DOG (2)

This is #DOG - the lexicalized sign for DOG.

This is signed as "BECOME DEAF HOW YOU?" with the wh-word question facial expression (eyebrows down).

This phrase is signed as "I QUESTION" with an inquisitive facial expression.

This phrase is signed as a rhetorical question: "I STUDY WHY? BECOME INTERPRETER". The first part of the phrase uses the yes/no facial expression (eyebrows up) and the second part uses an affirmative facial expression.

This phrase is signed as "I TAKE-up ASL CLASS". This sign for TAKE is different from the sign you would use to indicate that you took (or got) something (i.e. TAKE-from).

This sign is used for the word "light" meaning a lamp or something that gives off light.