How to spell SPEAK in sign language

Speak 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.

Letter by letter

S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
K Index and middle fingers extended upward in a V, with the thumb placed between them resting on the middle finger knuckle; ring and pinky curled.

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.

Sign it at your camera and check it Spell a different word

← Talk Listen →