Like many people, you may feel compelled to learn American Sign Language (ASL) because you have a loved one who is deaf or hard of hearing. Or maybe you encounter hearing-impaired people on your job or wish to work closely with them in a professional role.
The National Association of the Deaf says you can learn to sign if you have time, patience, and a sense of humor.
First, it helps to set realistic expectations. ASL is a a language unto itself, with its own set of grammar and usage rules. It can take a year or more to learn the signs that will enable you to communicate on a basic level. But as with any new skill, some people pick up on things faster than others. So it’s smart to stick with this new challenge, stay positive, and practice when you can.
1Number OneVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number one in sign language, hold up your index finger.2Number TwoVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number two, put your index and middle fingers up.3Number ThreeVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number three in sign language, put your thumb, index, and middle fingers up.4Number FourVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number four, put your four fingers up. Keep your thumb inside your palm.5Number FiveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number five in sign language, hold up all five fingers on your hand.6Number SixVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number six, open your hand and touch your thumb to your pinky finger.7Number SevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number seven in sign language, touch your thumb to the finger next to your pinky finger.8Number EightVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number eight, touch your thumb to your middle finger.9Number NineVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number nine in sign language, touch your thumb to your index finger.10Number TenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 10, shake your thumb left and right as it points upwards.11Number ElevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 11 in sign language, repeatedly flick your index finger off your thumb.12Number TwelveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 12, repeatedly flick your forefinger and middle fingers off your thumb.13Number ThirteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 13 in sign language, repeatedly bend your forefinger and middle fingers while your thumb sticks out.14Number FourteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 14, repeatedly bend your four fingers while keeping your thumb inside your palm.15Number FifteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 15 in sign language, repeatedly bend your four fingers while your thumb sticks out.16Number SixteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 16, make the sign for “six,” repeatedly moving it left and right.17Number SeventeenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 17 in sign language, make the “seven” sign and move it repeatedly from left to right.18Number EighteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 18, make the sign for “eight” and repeatedly move it from left to right.19Number NineteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 19 in sign language, make the sign for “nine” and move it repeatedly from left to right.20Number TwentyVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 20, repeatedly “snap” your index finger and thumb together.At the end, don’t forget to give yourself a thumbs-up sign for a job well-done.
1Number OneVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number one in sign language, hold up your index finger.
1
Number OneVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number one in sign language, hold up your index finger.
Number One
Verywell / Jamie Berke
To make the number one in sign language, hold up your index finger.
2Number TwoVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number two, put your index and middle fingers up.
2
Number TwoVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number two, put your index and middle fingers up.
Number Two
To make the number two, put your index and middle fingers up.
3Number ThreeVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number three in sign language, put your thumb, index, and middle fingers up.
3
Number ThreeVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number three in sign language, put your thumb, index, and middle fingers up.
Number Three
To make the number three in sign language, put your thumb, index, and middle fingers up.
4Number FourVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number four, put your four fingers up. Keep your thumb inside your palm.
4
Number FourVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number four, put your four fingers up. Keep your thumb inside your palm.
Number Four
To make the number four, put your four fingers up. Keep your thumb inside your palm.
5Number FiveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number five in sign language, hold up all five fingers on your hand.
5
Number FiveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number five in sign language, hold up all five fingers on your hand.
Number Five
To make the number five in sign language, hold up all five fingers on your hand.
6Number SixVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number six, open your hand and touch your thumb to your pinky finger.
6
Number SixVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number six, open your hand and touch your thumb to your pinky finger.
Number Six
To make the number six, open your hand and touch your thumb to your pinky finger.
7Number SevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number seven in sign language, touch your thumb to the finger next to your pinky finger.
7
Number SevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number seven in sign language, touch your thumb to the finger next to your pinky finger.
Number Seven
To make the number seven in sign language, touch your thumb to the finger next to your pinky finger.
8Number EightVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number eight, touch your thumb to your middle finger.
8
Number EightVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number eight, touch your thumb to your middle finger.
Number Eight
To make the number eight, touch your thumb to your middle finger.
9Number NineVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number nine in sign language, touch your thumb to your index finger.
9
Number NineVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number nine in sign language, touch your thumb to your index finger.
Number Nine
To make the number nine in sign language, touch your thumb to your index finger.
10Number TenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 10, shake your thumb left and right as it points upwards.
10
Number TenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 10, shake your thumb left and right as it points upwards.
Number Ten
To make the number 10, shake your thumb left and right as it points upwards.
11Number ElevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 11 in sign language, repeatedly flick your index finger off your thumb.
11
Number ElevenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 11 in sign language, repeatedly flick your index finger off your thumb.
Number Eleven
To make the number 11 in sign language, repeatedly flick your index finger off your thumb.
12Number TwelveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 12, repeatedly flick your forefinger and middle fingers off your thumb.
12
Number TwelveVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 12, repeatedly flick your forefinger and middle fingers off your thumb.
Number Twelve
To make the number 12, repeatedly flick your forefinger and middle fingers off your thumb.
13Number ThirteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 13 in sign language, repeatedly bend your forefinger and middle fingers while your thumb sticks out.
13
Number ThirteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 13 in sign language, repeatedly bend your forefinger and middle fingers while your thumb sticks out.
Number Thirteen
To make the number 13 in sign language, repeatedly bend your forefinger and middle fingers while your thumb sticks out.
14Number FourteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 14, repeatedly bend your four fingers while keeping your thumb inside your palm.
14
Number FourteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 14, repeatedly bend your four fingers while keeping your thumb inside your palm.
Number Fourteen
To make the number 14, repeatedly bend your four fingers while keeping your thumb inside your palm.
15Number FifteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 15 in sign language, repeatedly bend your four fingers while your thumb sticks out.
15
Number FifteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 15 in sign language, repeatedly bend your four fingers while your thumb sticks out.
Number Fifteen
To make the number 15 in sign language, repeatedly bend your four fingers while your thumb sticks out.
16Number SixteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 16, make the sign for “six,” repeatedly moving it left and right.
16
Number SixteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 16, make the sign for “six,” repeatedly moving it left and right.
Number Sixteen
To make the number 16, make the sign for “six,” repeatedly moving it left and right.
17Number SeventeenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 17 in sign language, make the “seven” sign and move it repeatedly from left to right.
17
Number SeventeenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 17 in sign language, make the “seven” sign and move it repeatedly from left to right.
Number Seventeen
To make the number 17 in sign language, make the “seven” sign and move it repeatedly from left to right.
18Number EighteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 18, make the sign for “eight” and repeatedly move it from left to right.
18
Number EighteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 18, make the sign for “eight” and repeatedly move it from left to right.
Number Eighteen
To make the number 18, make the sign for “eight” and repeatedly move it from left to right.
19Number NineteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 19 in sign language, make the sign for “nine” and move it repeatedly from left to right.
19
Number NineteenVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 19 in sign language, make the sign for “nine” and move it repeatedly from left to right.
Number Nineteen
To make the number 19 in sign language, make the sign for “nine” and move it repeatedly from left to right.
20Number TwentyVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 20, repeatedly “snap” your index finger and thumb together.At the end, don’t forget to give yourself a thumbs-up sign for a job well-done.
20
Number TwentyVerywell / Jamie BerkeTo make the number 20, repeatedly “snap” your index finger and thumb together.At the end, don’t forget to give yourself a thumbs-up sign for a job well-done.
Number Twenty
To make the number 20, repeatedly “snap” your index finger and thumb together.
At the end, don’t forget to give yourself a thumbs-up sign for a job well-done.
Frequently Asked QuestionsFirst, you sign the month. If it’s five letters or less, fingerspell the whole word. Longer words can be abbreviated to three letters. Then sign the number for the date. Then sign the year.Learn MoreResources for Learning Sign LanguageTo sign a phone number, you use the following structure:For the area code, sign the numbers as X|XX. Sign the first number as a single digit and the next two numbers as a two-digit number.You would then pause and do the next three numbers as X|XX with the first number as a single digit and the next two numbers as a two-digit number.Again you would pause and sign the last four numbers as XX|XX with each pair as a two-digit number.
Frequently Asked Questions
First, you sign the month. If it’s five letters or less, fingerspell the whole word. Longer words can be abbreviated to three letters. Then sign the number for the date. Then sign the year.Learn MoreResources for Learning Sign Language
First, you sign the month. If it’s five letters or less, fingerspell the whole word. Longer words can be abbreviated to three letters. Then sign the number for the date. Then sign the year.
Learn MoreResources for Learning Sign Language
To sign a phone number, you use the following structure:For the area code, sign the numbers as X|XX. Sign the first number as a single digit and the next two numbers as a two-digit number.You would then pause and do the next three numbers as X|XX with the first number as a single digit and the next two numbers as a two-digit number.Again you would pause and sign the last four numbers as XX|XX with each pair as a two-digit number.
To sign a phone number, you use the following structure:
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Association of the Deaf.Learning American Sign Language.
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Association of the Deaf.Learning American Sign Language.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Association of the Deaf.Learning American Sign Language.
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