Spell a word · 4 letters

How to spell DEWI in sign language

Dewi 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 DD
ASL handshape for the letter EE
ASL handshape for the letter WW
ASL handshape for the letter II

Letter by letter

  1. D Index finger extended upward; middle, ring, and pinky curled to meet the thumb, forming a small circle.
  2. E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
  3. W Index, middle, and ring fingers extended upward and spread; thumb holds the pinky finger down.
  4. I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.

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.