Phrases › American Sign Language
Phrases
Early draft: There was little reliable source material for this language, so some lines may be wrong. Check with a speaker before relying on them.
In American Sign Language, hello is HELLO (Flat hand salutes from the forehead and moves outward.) and thank you is THANK-YOU (Fingertips touch the chin and move forward and down.). Here are 18 everyday American Sign Language phrases with pronunciation, for travel and a first conversation.
How to say hello in American Sign Language · How to say thank you in American Sign Language · How to say goodbye in American Sign Language · How to say please in American Sign Language · How to say sorry in American Sign Language
| English | American Sign Language | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | HELLO Eye contact first; wave or tap lightly to get attention. | Flat hand salutes from the forehead and moves outward. |
| Goodbye | BYE A wave is understood everywhere. | Open hand waves, palm out. |
| Please | PLEASE Soft face; also used with requests. | Flat hand circles on the chest. |
| Thank you | THANK-YOU Add a smile and a nod. | Fingertips touch the chin and move forward and down. |
| Yes | YES | Fist nods up and down, like a head nod. |
| No | NO Shake the head at the same time. | Index and middle finger tap the thumb, twice, like a closing beak. |
| Excuse me / Sorry | SORRY / EXCUSE-ME Wave or tap the shoulder to get someone's attention first. | SORRY: A-hand circles on the chest. EXCUSE-ME: fingertips brush across the other palm. |
| Do you speak English? | YOU WRITE ENGLISH OK? Pen and paper or a phone are the usual bridge. ASL is not signed English, so don't expect a Deaf person to sign English word order. | Point YOU; index writes on the other palm (WRITE); ENGLISH (fingerspell or sign); OK with raised brows. |
| I don't understand | ME UNDERSTAND NOT Or just shrug, shake your head and open your hands. | Point at yourself; UNDERSTAND (index flicks up at the forehead); shake the head. |
| Please speak slowly | PLEASE SIGN SLOW Fingerspelling slowly also helps. | PLEASE (circle on the chest); SIGN; SLOW (hand slides slowly up the back of the other hand). |
| How much is it? | COST HOW-MUCH? A calculator or phone works too. | COST (bent index knocks the other palm); HOW-MUCH (both S-hands open to 5-hands), brows down. |
| Where is the bathroom? | BATHROOM WHERE? | BATHROOM (T-hand shakes); WHERE (index waves side to side), brows down. |
| I'd like this, please | THIS ME WANT PLEASE | Point at the thing; point at yourself; WANT (claw hands pull in); PLEASE. |
| Where is …? | … WHERE? Fill the gap with the sign or the fingerspelled name of the place. | Sign or fingerspell the place, then WHERE (index waves), brows down. |
| Help! | HELP! Wave your arms or tap people so they look at you. | HELP (thumb-up A-hand lifts on the other palm), repeated, with an urgent face. |
| I need a doctor | DOCTOR ME NEED | DOCTOR (D-hand taps the wrist); point at yourself; NEED (hooked index bobs). |
| Can you help me? | HELP ME CAN YOU? Yes/no question: raised brows, head tilted forward. | HELP (directed toward you); point at yourself; CAN (both fists nod down); point YOU, brows raised. |
| English | American Sign Language | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the nearest grocery store? | FOOD STORE NEAR WHERE? Fill in the fingerspelling if you want a specific shop. | FOOD (fingertips tap the lips); STORE (flat-O hands swing outward twice); NEAR (one flat hand moves close to the other); WHERE (index waves), brows down. |
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