Spell a word · 9 letters

How to spell BARCELONA in sign language

Barcelona fingerspelled in ASL is 9 handshapes, signed one after another with the palm facing out. Hold each for a beat and keep the hand in one place; the letters carry the word, not the movement.

ASL handshape for the letter BB
ASL handshape for the letter AA
ASL handshape for the letter RR
ASL handshape for the letter CC
ASL handshape for the letter EE
ASL handshape for the letter LL
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter NN
ASL handshape for the letter AA

Letter by letter

  1. B Four fingers straight up and together, thumb folded flat across the palm.
  2. A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
  3. R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
  4. C Fingers and thumb curved into an open C shape, palm facing sideways.
  5. E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
  6. L Index finger pointing straight up and thumb extended outward to form an L; other three fingers curled into the palm.
  7. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  8. N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.
  9. A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.

Fingerspelling is how ASL handles names, places, brands and words without a sign of their own. Many everyday words do have a sign, so if you are learning ASL as a language, learn that sign too; this page shows how the word is spelled with the manual alphabet.