Start ASL Dictionary


Deaf Culture

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"Beginning and ending a thought"



The first sign is what you would use at the beginning and the second sign is what you would use at the end of a story or anecdote that you want to show as an internal thought or dream.


Are you a student?



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).


Are you deaf?



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


Are you learning sign language?



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


Are your parents Deaf?



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


ASL Alphabet (A-Z)


Can you (please) sign slower?



This phrase is signed as: "PLEASE SLOW".


Can you (please) sign that again?



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


Can you fingerspell that 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.


Can you read lips?

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


DEAF



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


Good afternoon



This phrase is signed as "GOOD AFTERNOON"


Good morning



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).


Goodbye



This is the sign for "BYE" in ASL.


Goodnight



This phrase is signed as "GOOD NIGHT."


HEARING


Hello



This is the sign for HELLO in ASL.


How are you?



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).


How did you lose your hearing?



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


How old are you?



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.


I am 20 years old.



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


I don't understand.



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.


My name is Deborah (name sign).



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.


Nice to meet you.



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.


No, I'm not deaf, I'm hearing.



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.


Once upon a time


See you later.



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).


SIGN



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


SIGN LANGUAGE


STUDENT



STUDENT (2)


Take care of yourself.



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


TEACHER


Thank you.



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.


There is no sign for that, you need to fingerspell it.



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


What did you/they say?



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.


What does that mean?



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.


What is your name?



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


What is your teacher's name?



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


Where are you learning sign language?



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


Who is your teacher?



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).


Why are you learning sign language?



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


Write it please.


You sign very fluently.

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.


You're welcome.



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.")



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