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Explore, discover, and learn sign language
From beginners to advanced learners, discover all you need for ASL learning. For fluent and native signers, explore and master ASL and bilingualism. 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.
25/30th Anniversary
🎉 HandSpeak® is marking its 25/30 year milestone. It began in the pioneering days of the early Internet and has grown through decades of change. It's fulfilling to see this web app continues to support many signers and learners. 🎉
Word Search
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.
First 100+ Signs for beginners.
What does the ASL sign mean? Reverse Dictionary
Fingerspelling of the Week 🔒
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 NO 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 phrases and sentences to gain insights into how grammar, structure and meaning are constructed in ASL and learn how to express them in ASL.
Story Video
Trivia Question
What is American Sign Language?
- A) It is English on hands or in signed form.
- B) It is an artificial language.
- C) It is a universal signed language.
- D) None of the above.
- E) All of the above.
It is a language of its own, including vocabulary, grammar, structure, and all. It has its linguistics. Learn more about ASL.
~~ Feeling lucky? ¯\__(°_o)__/¯ Random Word ~~
ASL Numbers
Take a peek what the ASL number is: number.
Learn how to sign numbers 1 to 100.
ASL Writing
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.
Grammar tip
When using a rhetorical question in ASL, raise eyebrows. Learn how to use a rh-question in sign language. Rh-question
Signed languages are distinct from spoken languages with their own grammar, structure, and vocabulary. They also include intonation (i.e. facial expressions) and encompasses every linguistic feature found in spoken languages.
"The limits of my language are the limits of my world." -- Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951)
~~ Feeling lucky? ¯\__(°_o)__/¯ Random Word ~~
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.
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.
Linguistics
Sign language has every linguistic feature from phonology and morphology to syntax as found in spoken language. 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.
Testimonials
The sign language site is one of few most reliable resources and references highly recommended by Deaf native signers, including ASL instructors.