How to spell NURSE in sign language
Nurse fingerspelled in ASL is 5 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.
N
U
R
S
ELetter by letter
- 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.
- R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
- 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.