Or, start with the First 100+ Signs. What does the ASL sign mean? Look up a word in the ASL to English Reverse Dictionary.
Explore, discover, and learn Sign Language
Talk with your hands -- swap sound for visue. From beginners to advanced learners, discover all you need for ASL learning. For fluent and native signers, explore and master ASL and bilingualism.
Get this web app for direct access with a quick tap.
Subscribe to newsletter.
This website/webapp HandSpeak® is a popular, go-to online resource for sign language and Deaf culture in North America for language learning, practice, tutorials and self-study for:
- college students and learners
- language and culture enthusiasts
- interpreters, homeschoolers
- parents of deaf children and deaf/hearing babies
- professionals
- deaf bilinguals and codas
Handwave! I'm Jolanta, the creator of this web app/site since 1995. Very long time, yes! It has been made with endless personal volunteer time, effort, and heart. I hope you will find this sign language resource helpful with your language learning in American Sign Language.
Jump scroll down to
ASL Sign Language Dictionary
Search tips
Filter: Enter a keyword in the filter field box to see a list of available words with the "All" selection. Click on the page number if needed. Click on the blue link to look up the word. For best result, enter a partial word to see variations of the word.
Alphabetical letters: It's useful for 1) a single-letter word (such as A, B, etc.) and 2) very short words (e.g. "to", "he", etc.) to narrow down the words and pages in the list.
Don't forget to click "All" back when you search another word with a different initial letter.
Sign of the Day
Guess what the ASL word mean? See English translation. Explore this word in the dictionary.
Fingerspelling of the Day 🔒
What does it say? Hover over to see the word. Take me to the page.
Try fingerspelling practice to improve your receptive skill. New to fingerspelling? Learn the ASL alphabet.
Kid Signing of the Week
The video shows a baby signing the ASL word FIRE in the early language acquisition (handshape, location, and movement).
Sentence of the Week 🔒
To get started for a new learner, learn how to sign "How are you?".
Browse some more phrases and sentences that may give you some insights into how grammar, structure and meaning are constructed in ASL sign language and help you learn how to express them in ASL.
Story Video
Grammar
Signed languages are distinct from spoken languages. For example, ASL and English are entirely independent languages, each with its own structure, grammar, vocabulary and other linguistic elements, including intonation (i.e. facial expression). In addition, sign languages encompass every linguistic feature found in spoken languages.
Random grammar tip:
Mouth movements (morphemes) associated with some signed words are grammatical. Learn about the mouth morphemes: oo, cha, mm, cs, and more. Mouth Morphemes
Trivia Question
What is the smallest unit of sign language called?
- A) phoneme
- B) parameter/prime
- C) handshape
- D) movement
Phoneme is to spoken language as parameter/prime is to signed language. Learn more about phonology in sign language.
Women's History Month
Women's History Month is an annual dedicated month that highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women in history and contemporary society. Today features one of some notable Deaf women who made contributions:
Angela Stratiy (1947-present) is a Deaf leader, advocate, teacher, comedian and performer. She was a co-founder of the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf with Forrest C. Nickerson (1929-1988).
~~ Feeling lucky? ¯\__(°_o)__/¯ Random Word ~~
Manual alphabet
To get started, learn the ABCs in ASL alphabet.
Numbers
Take a peek what the ASL number is: number.
Learn how to sign numbers 1 to 100.
Written ASL Word
Guess what the ASL written word mean? Take a peek. Take me to this word.
Disclaimer [?]
Disclaimer: Written digits of the ASL words are unofficial and they may evolve over time. The purpose is for exploration and discovery only.
"In my nearly 40 years of life...I've yet to meet a single deaf person who was traumatized by sign language. Yet, I can't count how many were traumatized by mainstreamed and oral education." -- Jeanine Gingras
What is Sign Language?
Sign language is a natural, full-fledged language in visual-spatial modality. It has all the features of linguistics from phonology and morphology to syntax as found in spoken language. Signed languages are not a universal language; sign languages, such as British Sign Language (BSL) and French Sign Language (LSF), are distinct languages throughout the world.
American Sign Language (ASL) is the primary language of Deaf people in Deaf communities and Deaf families across the United States and Canada. It's also a fast-growing. popular second language or foreign language for hearing people in North America. Like other languages, ASL has its regional variations.
Linguistics
Numerous studies show that signed languages and spoken languages are equal languages, despite different modalities (visual-spatial and vocal-auditory). They function in the same linguistic regions of the brain. Language acquisition from birth to kindergarten are on the similar timeline. Sign language has every linguistic feature from phonology and morphology to syntax as found in spoken language.
Language learning
Bilingualism has a number of cognitive benefits. Find out what benefits are for learning sign language. In addition to the benefits of bilingualism, bimodalism and Deafhood also have some extra benefits.
Explore some ways on how to get started with learning sign language.
Deaf community and Deaf culture
Where there is language, there is culture; sign language and Deaf culture are inseparable. Learning sign language and Deaf culture comes with the process of allyship along with awareness toward appreciation and away from cultural appropriation and audism (alliteration, yay!).
Deaf community comprises Deaf people, codas (children of Deaf parents), hard-of-hearing signers, and hearing signers and allies.
Testimonials
The sign language site is one of few most reliable resources and references highly recommended by Deaf native signers, including ASL instructors.