How to spell PHILADELPHIA in sign language
Philadelphia fingerspelled in ASL is 12 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.
P
H
I
L
A
D
ELPHIALetter by letter
- P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
- H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
- L Index finger pointing straight up and thumb extended outward to form an L; other three fingers curled into the palm.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
- D Index finger extended upward; middle, ring, and pinky curled to meet the thumb, forming a small circle.
- E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
- L Index finger pointing straight up and thumb extended outward to form an L; other three fingers curled into the palm.
- P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
- H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
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.