Spell a word · 8 letters

How to spell BUDAPEST in sign language

Budapest fingerspelled in ASL is 8 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 UU
ASL handshape for the letter DD
ASL handshape for the letter AA
ASL handshape for the letter PP
ASL handshape for the letter EE
ASL handshape for the letter SS
ASL handshape for the letter TT

Letter by letter

  1. B Four fingers straight up and together, thumb folded flat across the palm.
  2. U Index and middle fingers extended straight up and held tightly together; thumb holds ring and pinky down.
  3. D Index finger extended upward; middle, ring, and pinky curled to meet the thumb, forming a small circle.
  4. A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
  5. P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
  6. E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
  7. S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
  8. T A fist with the thumb tucked under the index finger, peeking out between the index and middle 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.