Spell a word · 5 letters

How to spell BROWN in sign language

Brown fingerspelled in ASL is 5 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 RR
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter WW
ASL handshape for the letter NN

Letter by letter

  1. B Four fingers straight up and together, thumb folded flat across the palm.
  2. R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
  3. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  4. W Index, middle, and ring fingers extended upward and spread; thumb holds the pinky finger down.
  5. N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.

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.