Spell a word · 4 letters

How to spell LOVE in sign language

Love 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 LL
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter VV
ASL handshape for the letter EE

Letter by letter

  1. L Index finger pointing straight up and thumb extended outward to form an L; other three fingers curled into the palm.
  2. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  3. V Index and middle fingers extended straight up and spread into a V; thumb holds ring and pinky down.
  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.