40+ Common ASL Phrases and Signs You Must know | Signing or beginners | American Sign Language.

Summary

In this informative YouTube video, Omar teaches essential American Sign Language (ASL) phrases and signs for effective communication within the deaf community. He demonstrates common expressions like 'I love you', 'What's your name', and 'How are you', along with their proper ASL signs. The video also covers questions about deafness, origin, and needing assistance, emphasizing politeness and clarity. Omar's approachable style makes learning ASL accessible and engaging, encouraging viewers to explore more ASL content on his channel.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video aims to teach essential American Sign Language (ASL) phrases and signs for effective communication within the deaf community.
• ❤️ Two common ways to sign 'I love you' are demonstrated, with a preference for one method over the other.
• 🙋‍♂️ The script explains how to sign 'What is your name?' and the appropriate response, including finger-spelling one's name and the sign for 'nice to meet you'.
• 👋 The video covers the signs for 'How are you?' and 'What's up?', which are frequently used in the deaf community.
• 🧏‍♂️ It addresses how to inquire about someone's hearing status by showing the signs for 'deaf' and 'hearing'.
• 🗣️ The script introduces phrases like 'Where are you from?' and 'Do you need help?', emphasizing their importance in daily interactions.
• 🤔 The video teaches how to express confusion or a lack of understanding with the sign for 'I don't understand' and how to ask for repetition politely.
• 🎓 For those new to ASL, the video provides signs to communicate that they are learning the language, including the signs for 'learning' and 'ASL'.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The script includes signs for family-related questions, such as asking about siblings and marital status.
• 👍 Basic signs like 'yes', 'no', 'thank you', 'sorry', and 'please' are also covered, which are crucial for basic communication.
• 🏁 The video concludes with signs for 'finished' and encourages viewers to engage with the content by liking, subscribing, and turning on notifications for more ASL content.

Q & A

What are the two ways to sign 'I love you' in American Sign Language (ASL) as demonstrated in the video?

The two ways to sign 'I love you' in ASL are: 1) Using the index and pinky finger extended while the middle and ring fingers touch the palm, and 2) Using the thumb extended laterally with the index finger and pinky extended upward.

How do you sign 'What is your name?' and respond with your own name in ASL?

To sign 'What is your name?', you point to the person and then fingerspell 'name'. To respond with your own name, you sign 'my name' and then fingerspell your name, followed by the sign for 'nice to meet you' which involves crossing your dominant hand over your non-dominant hand.

What is the sign for 'how are you' in the deaf community and how is it performed?

The sign for 'how are you' in ASL involves making an 'A' shape with both hands, bringing them together, and then pointing forward while asking the question.

Can you explain the signs for 'what's up' and 'are you deaf or hearing' as shown in the video?

To sign 'what's up', extend your fingers and bend the middle fingers, touching the chest and flicking upwards. For 'are you deaf or hearing', point to the person, sign 'deaf' by placing the index finger by the ear and moving it towards the mouth, and for 'hearing', make a circular motion in front of the mouth with the index finger.

How do you ask 'where are you from' and sign 'from' in ASL?

To ask 'where are you from', point to the person and sign 'from' by extending the non-dominant index finger and drawing the dominant index finger back to form a hook, then rocking the dominant index finger from left to right.

What is the sign for 'do you need help' and how is it performed?

The sign for 'do you need help' involves placing the non-dominant hand palm up and the dominant hand in an 'A' shape on top, then moving the dominant hand towards the person being asked.

How do you sign 'what's wrong' and express confusion in ASL?

To sign 'what's wrong', make a 'Y' shape with your dominant hand and place it under the chin. To express confusion or 'I don't understand', flick the dominant index finger upwards while shaking your head from side to side.

What is the sign for 'see you later' and how is it different from 'where's the bathroom'?

The sign for 'see you later' involves forming a 'K' with the middle finger by the eye and moving it forward, then forming an 'L' and moving it downwards. 'Where's the bathroom' is signed by rocking a 'T' shape back and forth in front of the body and then pointing with the index finger.

How do you sign 'come here please' and 'how old are you' in ASL?

To sign 'come here please', point towards the person and then bend the fingers down towards the place you want them to come. For 'how old are you', point to the person and then sign 'age' by making 'S' shapes with both hands and bringing them down.

What is the sign for 'when is your birthday' and how do you indicate the year of birth in ASL?

To sign 'when is your birthday', point to the person, touch the chin with the middle finger and move it down to the chest, then loop the dominant index finger from the side. To indicate the year of birth, sign 'born' and 'year'.

How do you express that you are learning ASL and ask someone to repeat a sign more slowly?

To express that you are learning ASL, take your dominant hand and pretend to grab knowledge, placing it to your forehead twice. To ask someone to repeat a sign more slowly, tap the palm of your non-dominant hand with your dominant hand and then sign 'slow'.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to ASL Phrases

The video begins with the host welcoming viewers to the YouTube channel and introducing the topic: essential American Sign Language (ASL) phrases and signs within the deaf community. The host demonstrates two ways to sign 'I love you,' with a preference for the 'I love you' sign over the 'love you' variation. The 'what is your name' sign is also explained, along with how to fingerspell one's name and the sign for 'nice to meet you.' The host emphasizes the importance of learning these signs for effective communication within the deaf community.

05:00

🙋‍♂️ Common ASL Greetings and Questions

This section covers common phrases like 'how are you' and 'what's up,' providing the signs for each. The host also teaches how to sign 'are you deaf or hearing,' 'where are you from,' and 'you need help.' Each sign is demonstrated clearly, with an emphasis on the directional nature of some signs. The host ensures that viewers understand the proper formation and movement of hands to convey these phrases accurately.

10:02

🤔 Expressing Needs and Inquiries in ASL

The host continues with signs for asking if someone needs help, indicating what's wrong, and saying 'see you later.' The signs for locating the bathroom and the phrase 'come here please' are also demonstrated. The video then moves on to teaching how to sign 'how old are you' and 'when is your birthday,' with detailed instructions on the formation and sequence of signs. The host ensures that viewers can learn to ask personal questions respectfully and effectively in ASL.

15:04

📝 Clarifying Communication in ASL

In this part, the host addresses how to express confusion or a lack of understanding in ASL, using the signs for 'I don't understand' and 'do you understand.' The video also covers how to ask someone to repeat or slow down their signing. The host teaches the signs for 'sign language,' 'I'm learning,' and common family relationship signs like 'brother' and 'sister.' The section concludes with signs for 'are you married,' 'yes,' 'no,' and other basic expressions like 'thank you,' 'sorry,' and 'please.' The host encourages viewers to practice these signs to enhance their ASL communication skills.

🏁 Conclusion and Call to Action

The video concludes with a summary of essential ASL signs and a call to action for viewers. The host encourages viewers to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and turn on notifications for more content. There's also an invitation for viewers to explore more ASL videos on the channel, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and engagement with the deaf community's language and culture.

Keywords

💡ASL

ASL stands for American Sign Language, which is a complete, complex language that employs signs made by moving the hands combined with facial expressions and body posture. It is the primary language for many communities of deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the United States and much of Anglophone Canada. In the video, ASL is the central theme, with the host demonstrating various signs and phrases to communicate effectively within the deaf community.

💡Sign Language

Sign language is a visual-gestural language, which is used by deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. It involves manual communication and body language to convey meaning. In the video, the host teaches various sign language phrases, emphasizing the importance of non-verbal communication within the deaf community.

💡Fingerspelling

Fingerspelling is a method used in sign languages where each letter of the alphabet is represented by a specific hand shape. It is used to spell out proper nouns or words that do not have a sign. In the script, the host demonstrates how to fingerspell their name, which is an essential skill in ASL for conveying specific names or terms.

💡Deaf Community

The deaf community refers to the social network of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is characterized by the use of sign language and shared experiences. The video script highlights phrases and signs that are commonly used within this community, showcasing the cultural aspects and the importance of communication within it.

💡Non-Manual Markers

Non-manual markers are facial expressions, body shifts, and other non-hand-related movements that are integral to sign language communication. They can indicate grammatical features such as questions, negatives, or emphasis. The script mentions the use of facial expressions when signing questions, which is crucial for conveying the correct meaning in ASL.

💡I Love You

The phrase 'I love you' is a common expression of affection. In the video, the host demonstrates two different ways to sign this phrase in ASL, reflecting the flexibility and creativity within the language. It also shows how to adapt the sign based on the context, such as signing 'I love God'.

💡What's Up

The phrase 'What's up' is a colloquial greeting used to inquire about someone's well-being or to ask what is happening. The host explains a more subtle way of signing this phrase in ASL, as opposed to exaggerated signs sometimes seen in videos, which may not be used in everyday communication within the deaf community.

💡Are You Deaf or Hearing

This phrase is used to ask about a person's hearing status. The video script includes the signs for 'deaf' and 'hearing,' which are important for identifying oneself or asking about others within the deaf community. It also demonstrates cultural sensitivity by showing how to inquire politely about someone's hearing status.

💡Help

The sign for 'help' is a universal gesture of requesting assistance. In the video, the host shows how to sign this crucial word, which can be used in various contexts, such as asking for help or offering help to someone else. It is an essential sign for both everyday communication and emergency situations.

💡Please

The word 'please' is used to make a request more polite. In ASL, it is signed by making a circular motion with the hand on the chest. The video script includes this sign in the context of asking someone to repeat a sign more slowly, emphasizing the importance of politeness and clear communication in the deaf community.

💡Repeat

The concept of 'repeat' is essential in communication when a message is not understood. The host demonstrates how to sign 'repeat' by tapping the palm of one hand with the fingers of the other, which is a clear and polite way to ask for a repetition of a sign or phrase in ASL.

Highlights

Introduction to ASL phrases and signs essential for the deaf community

Two ways to sign 'I love you' - one with fingerspelling and the other with a thumb and pinky gesture

How to respond to 'What is your name?' with fingerspelling and a personal introduction

Signing 'Nice to meet you' by crossing hands and then pointing to oneself and the other person

The common phrase 'How are you?' and its ASL interpretation with the letter 'A' sign

Favoring the phrase 'What's up?' with a simple flick of the middle fingers

Asking 'Are you deaf or hearing?' using specific signs for 'deaf' and 'hearing'

Signing 'Where are you from?' by pointing and using a 'from' sign with a hook motion

Expressing 'Do you need help?' with a single sign combining 'help' and direction

Signing 'What's wrong?' by forming a 'Y' with the hand under the chin

Saying 'See you later' with a 'K' sign near the eye and an 'L' sign for 'later'

Finding directions to the 'bathroom' or 'toilet' with specific ASL signs

Inviting someone with 'Come here please' using a pointing and bending motion

Asking 'How old are you?' and responding with the 'age' sign made by bringing down 'S' shaped hands

Inquiring about someone's birthday with signs for 'when' and 'birthday'

Expressing 'I don't understand' with a flick of the index finger upwards and a head shake for negation

Requesting repetition with a tap on the palm and the word 'please'

Asking for slower signing with a 'slow' sign and a decelerating motion

Indicating knowledge of 'sign language' or 'ASL' with specific letter signs

Declaring 'I'm learning ASL' with a motion of grabbing knowledge and placing it on the forehead

Inquiring about family with signs for 'brother' and 'sister' using an 'L' handshape

Expressing marital status with the sign for 'married' involving a hand motion towards the face

Basic ASL signs for 'yes', 'no', 'thank you', 'okay', and 'fine'

Signing 'sorry' with an 'S' motion on the chest and 'please' with an open hand on the chest

Describing something as 'interesting' with a squeezing motion of the middle fingers and thumbs

Signing 'finished' by extending hands up and pivoting at the wrist

Encouragement to like, subscribe, and hit the notification button for more ASL content

Transcripts

hello and welcome to my youtube channel

signing with omar today's video is all

about asl phrases and signs you must

know within the deaf community

are you ready

let's get started let's start with the

very popular sign i love you and i will

show you two ways of doing that

my preference is

i

love

you

now the other way that you've probably

seen it out in the

deaf community or just out and about is

this

love you

basically what you're doing is you're

taking your thumb extending it out

laterally

then you'll take your index finger and

your pinky that's extended upward now

the ring finger and the middle finger

are basically touching the palm of the

hand and it's directional so if i love

you i can just go i love you or maybe i

love god oh god

that is the two ways of signing i love

you

another very common phrase or question

that you'll see out in the deaf

community is what is your name

and when i say it was your name

is what

you need to know how to respond to that

and that would be is

my

name and then you will fingerspell out

your name in my case it's omar

and i also have a deaf sign so i would

respond

my name

omar

usually followed by that i would say

nice to meet you so to sign nice to meet

you i simply take both hands

my dominant hands on top of the

non-dominant hand and they're crossed on

top of each other

nice

to meet you

nice then i will bring both hands extend

out the index fingers

this becomes me and this becomes you i

would bring them them together and then

i would point to you so

nice to meet you

how are you another very common phrase

you will see out in the deaf community

how are you

from the side how are you

now to sign that simply take both hands

and make a's

and if you didn't know this was an a i

made a video on the alphabet so why

don't you check that out

i bring the a's together and then when i

what i do from here is i will bring them

forward and then i will point let me

show you that again

that's how you sign how are you

a typical response to how are you would

be

fine

find

good

good

here's one of my favorite phrases what's

up

what's up

a lot of times you may look at videos

and they do the exaggerated

you don't really see that out in the

deaf community you just what's up what's

up and to sign what's up simply take

your both hands extend the fingers out

but bend the middle fingers the middle

fingers will touch the chest and just

flick up

what's up

what's up

this is another very common

phrase that you will see out in the deaf

community it's a question

are you deaf or hearing

and to sign that

you

deaf or hearing

and how i signed that was by pointing to

the person i'm asking and then i will do

the death sign which is taking your

index finger placing it by the ear and

then bringing it towards the mouth

now to sign hearing you take your index

finger and do a circular motion in front

of the mouth so let me sign it again for

you

are you deaf or hearing

where are you from

another very common phrase that you will

see out in the deaf community

so to sign

that what i did was i pointed to the

person that i'm asking

where you from

and then the next thing i did was form

the sign from

to sign from you simply take your

non-dominant index finger

point it up and extend it out in front

of the body then you will take your

dominant index finger it will touch

the non-dominant index finger and then

draw back and form a hook let me show

you that from the side

and then to sign where you simply take

your dominant index finger and rock it

back and forth from left to right so let

me show you that whole phrase again

where are you from

you need help

do you need help

basically the sign do you need help it's

really one sign you'll sign a sign help

you take your non-dominant hand with the

palm facing up extended out in front of

the body then you will take your

dominant hand form an a and rest that

right up on top of the non-dominant

palm

and then if i'm asking you i will

actually go in the direction

of you

or maybe he needs help

or maybe i need help

help me

help me

what's wrong

very easy phrase to sign and all you're

doing is signing wrong you'll take your

hand your dominant hand form a y and

place that right up underneath the chin

now it's real important that with your

face you're showing the question

what's wrong

now if you notice i lean forward my head

tilted a little bit and my eyebrows

creased downward what's wrong

see you later

see you later

to sign see you later basically

i form a k

my middle finger will touch right by the

eye

and it will go forward

and then i'll do

later by forming an l

and almost as if i'm holding the thumb

in place

bringing that downwards

see you later

or

see you later

where's the bathroom

very common phrase you will see is where

is the bathroom or the toilet you

basically do the sign for toilet which

is a t and that rocks right back and

forth in front of the body gently and

then you'll do the sign where simply

bring your index finger extend it up and

rock it back and forth

toilet where

or

where's the bathroom

come here please

come here

please

very easy to do so and you will see that

a lot so

to sign come here please you just take

both hands

point it towards the individual that you

want to come to you then you'll bend

them down and point them to the place

you want them to come maybe you want

them to come to the side

or come right in front of me and then

show manners please

to sign please you simply take your

five hand or your dominant hand

fingers extended and you just do a

circular motion on the chest so come

here please

how old are you

to sign how old are you simply point to

the individual that you're asking their

age and then you'll do the age sign

which is

taking your hands forming fists by

making s's twice and you're bringing

them down age

and then you point back to that

individual so

you

age

you or how old are you

when is your birthday

to sign when is your birthday simply

point to the individual that you're

asking then you'll do the sign birthday

simply take your middle finger and that

will touch the chin and then go down to

the chest

and then you do the sign for when

simply extend out your non-dominant

index finger take your dominant index

finger place it on top

of the non-dominant index finger and do

a loop

from the side

so let me show you what that looks like

all together

when is your birthday

what year were you born

and what i said was you

born let me show you born

year

what

what year were you born

i don't understand

i don't understand

i don't understand

that is something very common that

you're probably going to do out in the

deaf community now to sign understand

you simply take your dominant index

finger and you flick it upwards now

notice my hand is going up along with

the flick

now to negate that you simply rock your

head

back and forth like no

i don't understand that is very

important that you get that sign down

because there's going to be a lot of

signs

that you as a newcomer will not

understand and it's important that you

let the signer know i don't understand

i don't understand

on the flip side

someone may ask you do you understand

now notice there's a difference i don't

understand or you understand now with

understand asking someone you have to

lean forward tilt your head a little bit

and squint your eyebrows down

that demonstrates a question do you

understand

you understand

usually followed by i don't understand

you're probably going to have to tell

the person that signing repeat that

again please

now to sign that it's very simple simply

take your non-dominant hand extend it

out in front of the body with the palm

facing up now with your dominant hand

the finger four fingers are together the

thumb is a little bit outward you're

going to just go and tap the palm of the

non-dominant hand

and that's repeat and then use your

manners

please

repeat that again please

now you've told them you don't

understand you've asked them to repeat

that again but this time you may want

them to do it slower now to sign

please sign slower you can do it a few

ways

sine

and then go slow

from the side

and the deaf person will understand i

need to sign slower so to sign it again

sign

slower

this is another phrase you need to know

perhaps maybe a deaf person may ask you

if you know sign

or you know

sign language

you might even see

you know asl

so let me show you how to sign sign

language

that's sine

from the side sign and to sign language

you simply make both l's

put them with the palm facing down now

the thumbs are touching and from here

you wiggle apart

sign language

sign language

and asl is just a s l

so you know

sign language or you know asl

if you're new to asl you need to let

them know that

i'm

learning

asl or i'm

learning

sign language

learn is very simple you're going to

take your non-dominant hand palm faces

up from here you'll take your dominant

hand and you're going to pretend as if

you're grabbing knowledge and putting it

to your forehead

you do that twice

i'm

learning

sign

language or i'm

learning

a s l

another very common phrase you'll see on

the deaf community is do you have any

brothers or sisters

and what i said was

you

brother

sister have to sign brother and sister

simply take your non-dominant hand form

an l

then you'll take your dominant hand

format l as well

take the thumb it will gently touch the

forehead and come and rest down in

between the curve or the angle of the

non-dominant hand for brother that's

brother and for sister you'll take that

thumb and touch right over there the

angle of the jaw

and come down so this is brother and

this is sister and this is the sign half

from the side half

do you have brothers or sisters

are you married

very common out in the um deaf community

so very easy also to sign

point to the person you're asking and

then do the sign for married simply take

both hands i kind of

bend them

then with your dominant hand i bring

that over here in between the forehead

and the angle of the jaw while my

non-dominant hand stays out cuffed in

front of the body then i bring the hands

together

let's go over some must

know asl signs

yes

no

yes

no

now no may be a little bit difficult for

you to see but basically what i did was

i took my index finger and my middle

finger i brought them together

and then they come together touching the

thumb no

good

good

thank you

thank you

thank you

okay

okay

very easy you just do the letters o and

k

fine

fine

to do fine you simply take your thumb

you make a five with your hand and the

thumb touches up against the chest fine

fine

sorry

very common sign in the deaf community

sorry you simply make an s place it up

against your chest and do a circular

motion

from the side

please

notice the difference between

sorry you do it with the nest please you

do with an extended five or an open five

please

sorry

help

help

interesting

interesting now to form or to sign

interesting you simply take both hands

place them up against the chest my

dominant hands above my non-dominant now

as they draw away from the body the

middle finger and the thumbs

pretend as if they're squeezing up

against the chest and the abdomen as

they draw away from the body

here

interesting

interesting and normally with that sign

you'll lean a little bit forward

interesting

interesting

finished

finished

finished

to sign finish simply extend the hands

up and then pivot at the wrist finish

finished

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more about american sign language or asl

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