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Symbol Font for ASL

How can you read and write American Sign Language?

← Previous page: What is in this font?

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When you are done, click Save and your message will be given a page of its own. Then, you can copy the link and email it to whoever you want to read your message.

Take a look at the Symbol Reference if you get stuck. Or learn from the examples in the Lesson Series:

Lesson 1: Handshapes →

A Message in ASL by

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Quick Reference

Keyboard Layout

American Keyboard Layout (QWERTY)

`^~1^!2^@3^#4^$5^%6^{^}7^&8^*9⁽0⁾-^_=⁺
q^Qw^We^Er^Rt^Ty^Yu^Ui^Io^Op^P[^{]^}\^|
a^As^Sd^Df^Fg^Gh^Hj^Jk^Kl^L;^:'^"
z^Zx^Xc^Cv^Vb^Bn^Nm^M,^<.^>/^?

This font's symbols

`^~1^!2^@3^#4^$5^%6^{^}7^&8^*9⁽0⁾-^_=⁺
q^Qw^We^Er^Rt^Ty^Yu^Ui^Io^Op^P [^{]^}\^|
a^As^Sd^Df^Fg^Gh^Hj^Jk^Kl^L;^:'^"
z^Zx^Xc^Cv^Vb^Bn^Nm^M,^<.^>/^?

Handshapes

    
      1 X x d        1 X x d
      l L T t G g F f    l L T t G g F f
      v V u U n r    v V u U n r
      3 W H N k K R  3 W H N k K R
      4 E b e        4 E b e
      5 S Q M      5 S Q M
      B c o C O      B c o C O
      A a s        A a s
      w m i y Y I    w m i y Y I
      7 8 D P        7 8 D P
    
  

Orientation

Most common orientations

Locations

Motion

Directions

^: up
/: forward
<: left
_: down
Z: back
>: right
@: circular

Contact

!: strike/hit
;: rub
&: brush
*: touch
+: hold/pinch

Non-dominant Hand Motion

): together
(examples: America, since)
$: opposite
(examples: maybe, change)
}{: symmetrical
(examples: family, meet)
$$: alternating
(examples: friend, toast)

Other modifiers

?: Finger bend
??: Finger wiggle (alternating)
!: With Emphasis
;: Pause
(!): Larger motion
(;): Smaller motion
{!}: Faster motion
{;}: Slower motion

Non-manual information

:%|: default face
:%{: lip pout (oh-i-see)
(:%|: yes/no question
}:%|: wh question
]:[%*: "small"
{:[%(): "large"
({:}%(): "surprise"
]:%]'[: "foolish"
:[%[]: "near/recent"
:%{][}: "enjoying"

(__): nod
(<>): shake head
{<}: shoulder shift left
{>}: shoulder shift right