Spell a word · 5 letters

How to spell SPAIN in sign language

Spain 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.

ASL handshape for the letter SS
ASL handshape for the letter PP
ASL handshape for the letter AA
ASL handshape for the letter II
ASL handshape for the letter NN

Letter by letter

  1. S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
  2. P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
  3. A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
  4. I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
  5. N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.

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.