Spell a word · 4 letters

How to spell CAKE in sign language

Cake fingerspelled in ASL is 4 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 CC
ASL handshape for the letter AA
ASL handshape for the letter KK
ASL handshape for the letter EE

Letter by letter

  1. C Fingers and thumb curved into an open C shape, palm facing sideways.
  2. A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
  3. K Index and middle fingers extended upward in a V, with the thumb placed between them resting on the middle finger knuckle; ring and pinky curled.
  4. E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.

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.