Spell a word · 4 letters

How to spell ZOEY in sign language

Zoey 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 ZZ
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter EE
ASL handshape for the letter YY

Letter by letter

  1. Z Index finger extended straight out from a fist, drawing a Z path in the air.
  2. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  3. E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
  4. Y Thumb and pinky extended outward to opposite sides; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into the palm.

Motion letter. Z cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in ZOEY is a static handshape.

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.