American and British Sign Language | ASL and BSL

Learning American and British English sign language will improve our English language learning skills. These finger signs will help us to improve our deaf community communication skills in American and British accents. This lesson aims to help deaf community language learners know the difference between American and British English fingerspelling alphabets with their meanings and helpful pictures. Let’s learn together…

What is ASL?

ASL is the short form of American Sign Language. We use fingerspelling signs to talk American English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face. This language is totally different from English grammar. This language is a natural and complete language that has the same linguistics as spoken languages. According to our research, in the United States, this is the main sign language that is mainly used by 500 thousand+ people. ASL is also used in the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico, much of West Africa, and parts of Southeast Asia.

A-Z Alphabets in American Sign Language

Learning ASL with Pictures

A

• Sign: Make a fist with your thumb resting on the side.
• Meaning: The letter “A.”
• Usage: Used in fingerspelling to represent words starting with “A” or to spell out names like “Alex.”

B

• Sign: Extend your fingers straight up, thumb across your palm.
• Meaning: The letter “B.”
• Usage: represents words like “book” or “ball” when fingerspelling. It’s also used in signs like “bed.”

C

• Sign: Form a “C” shape with your hand.
• Meaning: The letter “C.”
• Usage: Used in spelling words like “cat” or “car.” It’s also part of signs like “cup.”

D

• Sign: Form an “O” with your fingers and raise the index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “D.”
• Usage: Represents words like “dog” or “desk” in fingerspelling. It’s also used in signs like “door.”

E

• Sign: Curl your fingers to your thumb, leaving a small gap.
• Meaning: The letter “E.”
• Usage: Used to spell out words like “elephant” or “egg.” It also appears in signs like “eat.”

F

• Sign: Form an “OK” sign with your thumb and index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “F.”
• Usage: Represents words like “fish” or “friend.” It’s also part of signs like “fine.”

G

• Sign: Point with your index finger sideways, thumb extended.
• Meaning: The letter “G.”
• Usage: Used in words like “goat” or “girl.” It’s also a part of signs like “give.”

H

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers together, palm facing out.
• Meaning: The letter “H.”
• Usage: Represents words like “hat” or “house.” It’s also used in signs like “happy.”

I

• Sign: Raise your pinky finger, keeping other fingers folded.
• Meaning: The letter “I.”
• Usage: Used to spell words like “ice” or “ink.” It’s also part of signs like “I” or “important.”

J

• Sign: Draw an “J” in the air with your pinky finger.
• Meaning: The letter “J.”
• Usage: Represents words like “juice” or “jump.” It’s used to spell names like “John.”

K

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers, with your thumb between them.
• Meaning: The letter “K.”
• Usage: Used in spelling words like “kite” or “king.” It’s also part of signs like “know.”

L

• Sign: Form an “L” shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “L.”
• Usage: Represents words like “love” or “lion.” It’s also part of signs like “learn.”

M

• Sign: Place your thumb between your pinky and ring fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “M.”
• Usage: Used in words like “mom” or “moon.” It’s also part of signs like “music.”

N

• Sign: Place your thumb between your middle and ring fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “N.”
• Usage: Represents words like “name” or “no.” It’s also used in signs like “need.”

O

• Sign: Form an “O” shape with your hand.
• Meaning: The letter “O.”
• Usage: Used to spell words like “orange” or “open.” It’s also part of signs like “okay.”

P

• Sign: Similar to “K,” but point your hand downward.
• Meaning: The letter “P.”
• Usage: Represents words like “pencil” or “picture.” It’s used in signs like “please.”

Q

• Sign: Similar to “G,” but point your hand downward.
• Meaning: The letter “Q.”
• Usage: Used in words like “queen” or “quiet.” It’s also part of signs like “quick.”

R

• Sign: Cross your index and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “R.”
• Usage: Represents words like “rabbit” or “run.” It’s used in signs like “right.”

S

• Sign: Make a fist with your thumb in front of your fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “S.”
• Usage: Used in words like “sun” or “sit.” It’s also part of signs like “sorry.”

T

• Sign: Place your thumb between your index and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “T.”
• Usage: Represents words like “tree” or “turtle.” It’s also part of signs like “thank you.”

U

• Sign: Raise your index and middle fingers together.
• Meaning: The letter “U.”
• Usage: Used in words like “umbrella” or “under.” It’s part of signs like “up.”

V

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers in a “V” shape.
• Meaning: The letter “V.”
• Usage: Represents words like “victory” or “vase.” It’s used in signs like “visit.”

W

• Sign: Extend your thumb, index, and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “W.”
• Usage: Used to spell words like “water” or “window.” It’s also part of signs like “why.”

X

• Sign: Bend your index finger slightly, as if forming a hook.
• Meaning: The letter “X.”
• Usage: Represents words like “x-ray.” It’s used in signs like “excuse.”

Y

• Sign: Extend your thumb and pinky finger.
• Meaning: The letter “Y.”
• Usage: Used in words like “yellow” or “yarn.” It’s also part of signs like “you.”

Z

• Sign: Draw a “Z” in the air with your index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “Z.”
• Usage: Represents words like “zebra” or “zoo.” It’s also used in signs where the letter “Z” is traced in the air.

A to Z American Sign Language-PDF

What is BSL?

BSL is the short form of British Sign Language. We use fingerspelling signs to talk British English. We will use helpful pictures to know about these signs. British Sign Language is a sign language used in the United Kingdom and is the first or preferred language among the deaf community in the UK.

 

A-Z Alphabets in British Sign Language

Here’s an overview of British Sign Language (BSL) signs, including their meanings and usage:

A

• Sign: Raise your hand with the palm facing out, thumb resting against the side of the fist.
• Meaning: The letter “A.”
• Usage: Used in fingerspelling names or words, such as “Anna.”

B

• Sign: Hold your hand flat, palm facing outward, with your thumb tucked across the palm.
• Meaning: The letter “B.”
• Usage: Common in fingerspelling or in words like “book.”

C

• Sign: Form a “C” shape with your hand.
• Meaning: The letter “C.”
• Usage: Used in fingerspelling words like “cat.”

D

• Sign: Touch your thumb to your fingertips to form a circle, with your index finger raised.
• Meaning: The letter “D.”
• Usage: Common in spelling words like “dog.”

E

• Sign: Curl your fingers toward the palm, with the thumb resting on the tips.
• Meaning: The letter “E.”
• Usage: Used in fingerspelling words like “elephant.”

F

• Sign: Form an “OK” sign with your thumb and index finger touching, other fingers extended.
• Meaning: The letter “F.”
• Usage: Used in words like “friend.”

G

• Sign: Extend your index finger and thumb parallel to each other, with the rest of the fingers folded down.
• Meaning: The letter “G.”
• Usage: Used in words like “good.”

H

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers together, pointing outward.
• Meaning: The letter “H.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “house.”

I

• Sign: Raise your pinky finger, with the other fingers folded.
• Meaning: The letter “I.”
• Usage: Common in words like “ink.”

J

• Sign: Draw a “J” in the air with your pinky finger.
• Meaning: The letter “J.”
• Usage: Used in names like “John.”

K

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers, with the thumb between them.
• Meaning: The letter “K.”
• Usage: Used in words like “kite.”

L

• Sign: Form an “L” shape with your thumb and index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “L.”
• Usage: Used in words like “love.”

M

• Sign: Place your thumb between your pinky and ring fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “M.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “mom.”

N

• Sign: Place your thumb between your middle and ring fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “N.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “no.”

O

• Sign: Form an “O” shape with your hand.
• Meaning: The letter “O.”
• Usage: Common in words like “orange.”

P

• Sign: Extend your index finger downward with your thumb across your palm.
• Meaning: The letter “P.”
• Usage: Used in words like “pen.”

Q

• Sign: Similar to “G” but with your hand pointing downward.
• Meaning: The letter “Q.”
• Usage: Used in words like “queen.”

R

• Sign: Cross your index and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “R.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “rabbit.”

S

• Sign: Make a fist with your thumb across the front of your fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “S.”
• Usage: Used in words like “sun.”

T

• Sign: Place your thumb between your index and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “T.”
• Usage: Used in words like “table.”

U

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers together.
• Meaning: The letter “U.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “umbrella.”

V

• Sign: Extend your index and middle fingers in a “V” shape.
• Meaning: The letter “V.”
• Usage: Used in words like “victory.”

W

• Sign: Extend your thumb, index, and middle fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “W.”
• Usage: Used in words like “water.”

X

• Sign: Bend your index finger slightly, as if forming a hook.
• Meaning: The letter “X.”
• Usage: Used in words like “x-ray.”

Y

• Sign: Extend your thumb and pinky finger, tucking in the other fingers.
• Meaning: The letter “Y.”
• Usage: Seen in words like “yellow.”

Z

• Sign: Draw a “Z” in the air with your index finger.
• Meaning: The letter “Z.”
• Usage: Used in names like “Zara.”

These are the sign languages that the deaf community uses in different countries. You can teach them or they can easily learn both accents with the help of our lesson. This lesson is created by our team to help them as educational purpose. We are here to help deaf community learn these accents and how they can talk in these languages.

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Learn More American and British English Lessons:

• Difference with Verbs of American and British English Grammar
• A to Z American and British English Words
• British vs American Food Names with PDF
• American vs. British English Vocabulary for Education