How to Fingerspell the Alphabet in American Sign Language

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Last Updated: November 14, 2024 Fact Checked

American Sign Language uses one-handed signals to form the letters in the alphabet. It’s easy to learn and useful to know. You can use fingerspelling to spell out words that you don’t know the sign for yet. Take it slow and practice one chunk of the alphabet at a time. Build up with practice until you can fingerspell the whole alphabet in sequence.

Part 1

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Proper Form for American Sign Language

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1
Keep good form. Fingerspell only with your dominant hand near your shoulder. Always sign letters with your palm facing your listener, away from you, unless specifically stated (in letters G and H, and optionally but commonly C and O). Don't rush to allow beginners to catch up and ensure your letters aren't sloppy.
- Don't bounce your hand between letters, unless there are two letters, in which case the bounce indicates the repetition of the signed letter. Dragging the letter slightly to the side can also indicate repetition.^{[1]
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Part 2

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A through J

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Hold your hand in front of you with your palm facing forward. Close your fingers in a fist, but keep your thumb pressed against the side of your hand and pointing upwards. This is the letter “A.”^{[2]
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Extend your fingers so they are straight. Bring them in close to each other so they are touching on the sides. Then, fold your thumb across the front of your palm and hold it there. This is the letter “B.”^{[3]
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Turn your right hand so that your palm is facing towards the left. Then, curl your fingers and thumb to form a half circle or backward “C.” Hold your hand still. This is the letter “C.”

Tip: Turn your hand sideways when you're signing the letters "C", "G", "H", and "O".
Touch the tip of your thumb to every finger except your index finger. Then, point your index finger straight up. Hold your hand still with your palm facing forward. This is the letter “D.”^{[4]
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5
Form the letter “B” and curl your fingertips down to make an “E.” Bend all four fingers down to meet your thumb. Press the tips of your fingers against the side of your thumb. This is the letter “E.”
- Keep your thumb and fingertips close to your palm. Otherwise, it might look like an “O" or "C."
Keep your other 3 fingers straight. This is the letter “F.”
Gather your fingers in towards your palm to make a fist. Then, extend your index finger and rest your thumb against your middle finger. Keep your thumb about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) from your palm so that it is parallel to your index finger. Angle your hand so that your palm is facing you and your index finger is pointing to your left. This is the letter “G.”^{[5]
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Keep your hand in the same position as it was for the letter “G,” but extend your middle finger as well. Hold your middle finger so it’s right next to your index finger. Angle your hand so that your palm is facing you and your index and middle fingers are pointing to your left. This is the letter “H.”^{[6]
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Form a fist and poke your pinkie finger straight up. This is the letter “I.”^{[7]
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10
Use your pinkie to draw the shape of a "J". With your hand still in the position for the letter “I,” bring your finger down and then swoop it upwards in the shape of a letter “J.” Do this multiple times if you want to create multiple Js, or just once for one letter J.^{[8]
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- Keep your palm facing away from you as you do this.

Part 3

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K through Q

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Press your ring finger and pinkie finger against your palm. Hold your index and middle finger so they are straight up but spread apart in the shape of a V. Then, press your thumb against your palm so that the tip of your thumb is between your index and middle finger near where they meet your hand. This is a “K.”
Press your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers against your palm as you form an L-shape with your index finger and thumb. This is the letter “L.”^{[9]
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Curl your fingers down towards your palm with your thumb between your index and middle finger. Hold your fingers like you’re wrapping them around a ball. Then, poke your thumb between your ring and pinky finger. This is how you make an “M.” ^{[10]
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Tip: On letters "M", "N", and "T", make the fingers on top of the thumb obviously higher than the others to make for easy interpreting.
Curl your fingers as if they’re holding a ball. Then, push the tip of your thumb between your middle and ring fingers. This is an “N.”^{[11]
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5
Make an "O" with your fingers and thumb. Press the tips of your fingers and thumb together. This is the letter “O.”^{[12]
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- Some people may turn their hand slightly to show the "O" formed by the fingers to differentiate it from "E".
Press your ring finger and pinkie finger against your palm. Then, extend your index finger as if you're pointing at something. Extend your middle finger so it's pointing down and touch it with your thumb. This is the letter “P.”^{[13]
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Press your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers against your palm and point with your index finger. Then, rest your thumb on top of your middle finger so that it is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) from your index finger. Then, point down with your hand in this position. This is the letter “Q.”

Part 4

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R through Z

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Press your ring finger, pinkie, and thumb against your palm. Then, wrap your middle finger around the back of your index finger. Hold your hand still with your palm facing forward. This is the letter “R.”^{[14]
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This is often confused with "A" so pay careful attention to the thumb position. Press your fingers against your palm and wrap your thumb over them. This is the letter “S.”^{[15]
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Press your fingers against your palm. Then, push your thumb up between your index and middle finger. This is the letter “T.”^{[16]
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Press your thumb, ring finger, and pinkie finger against your palm. Then, point your middle and index finger straight up and hold them against each other. This is the letter “U.”^{[17]
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With your hand in the “U” position, spread your fingers apart. This is the letter “V.” Make sure to keep your ring finger, pinkie, and thumb pressed against your palm.^{[18]
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Press your pinkie finger to your palm using your thumb. Then, hold up your index, middle, and ring fingers and spread them apart so that they look like the letter “W.” This is a “W.”^{[19]
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Press your thumb against your palm and then wrap your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers over it. Curl your index finger. This is the letter “X.”^{[20]
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Press your other fingers against your palm. This is the letter “Y.”^{[21]
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Form the letter "D", with your index finger out, and write a letter “Z” in the air.

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Is there a universal sign language?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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No, different countries or regions have different forms of sign language. For example, if you try to use ASL the U.K., people who have learned British Sign Language (BSL) might not understand you. However, some countries have adopted features from other countries’ sign languages.

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Why is fingerspelling important in ASL?

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Fingerspelling is helpful if you don’t know a sign for an individual word or if you want to spell out a personal name. Researchers from the NSF Science of Learning Centers have also found that fingerspelling is important for helping Deaf children develop strong reading and writing skills.

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Is fingerspelling the same as sign language?

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Fingerspelling is just one component of sign language. It allows you to spell out words using individual letters. Other signs are used to represent entire words.

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Practice this every day for a while, then go on and try to learn the actual signs to words.

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When you're first learning, take chunks of it (like A, B, C, D, E) and practice it the whole day. The next day, take another chunk (this time F, G, H, I, J) and add it on to yesterday's chunk.

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It is imperative to meet and sign with Deaf people to get a feel for how they sign and finger-spell. By interaction, you can more easily learn the "accent" or "dialect" used in your area. Depending on where you are in the USA, different signs and different forms may be used.

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Don't practice the alphabet in order; it’s more effective to practice spelling words. I started by spelling words I caught in music or as I talked. It helps muscle memory far more than alphabetical order.
Focus on clarity, not speed.

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