How to spell JANUARY in sign language
January fingerspelled in ASL is 7 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.
J
A
N
UA
R
YLetter by letter
- J Pinky extended from a fist, tracing a J-shaped hook downward in the air.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
- N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.
- U Index and middle fingers extended straight up and held tightly together; thumb holds ring and pinky down.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
- R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- Y Thumb and pinky extended outward to opposite sides; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into the palm.
Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JANUARY is a static handshape.
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.