How to sign “Learned” in BSL

Everyday Life

BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the British sign. See the ASL sign for “Learned” instead

Step by step

  1. Open your dominant hand beside your head, fingers together and thumb relaxed.
  2. Hold the open hand just to the side of your temple, palm angled inward.
  3. Draw the hand slightly backward while your fingers close together into a pinch.
  4. Keep the motion small and close to the head, finishing with pinched fingertips.
  5. Keep a thoughtful, attentive expression, as if an idea has just landed.

Practice tip

Past form of “Learn” — signed with the base sign; time is shown separately, not on the verb.

Fingerspell “Learned”

Letter by letter with the two-handed BSL alphabet — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.

BSL two-handed handshape for letter LBSL two-handed handshape for letter EBSL two-handed handshape for letter ABSL two-handed handshape for letter RBSL two-handed handshape for letter NBSL two-handed handshape for letter EBSL two-handed handshape for letter D

See all BSL handshapes in the alphabet reference

Text-based guide researched from BSL-specific references (BSL SignBank, BDA-adjacent teaching materials and BSL dictionaries) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade. BSL has regional variation — this is the most widely taught form.

Related BSL signs

Browse all 340 BSL signs in the dictionary