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Welcome! Today we will explore how to say hello and thank you in American Sign Language (ASL).
American Sign Language is a rich visual language used by many Deaf people. Instead of using your voice, you use your hands, facial expressions, and body movements to share ideas.
To sign 'Hello,' you bring your hand up to your forehead, slightly above your temple. Then, you move your hand outward in a small, polite wave, resembling a friendly salute.
To sign 'Thank you,' you start by touching the fingertips of your flat hand to your chin. Then, you move your hand forward and down toward the person you are speaking to, like you are sending them a warm gift.
Imagine you want to greet a Deaf classmate at school and thank them for sharing a pencil. Let's break down how you would perform this friendly interaction step by step.
- First, make eye contact and smile to show you are ready to communicate.
- Next, raise your dominant hand to your forehead with your palm facing down and out.
- Move your hand outward in a gentle salute gesture to sign 'Hello'.
- After they share the pencil, place the fingertips of your flat hand gently against your chin.
- Move your hand forward and down toward your classmate to sign 'Thank you'.
