How to sign “Open” in BSL
BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the British sign. See the ASL sign for “Open” instead
Step by step
- Hold both hands flat with fingers together, stacking your dominant hand on top of the other at waist level.
- Raise both hands to chest height while separating them outward, keeping the palms facing down as they move.
- Rotate your wrists so the palms turn to face each other, finishing with both flat hands held apart at chest level.
Practice tip
Think of opening double doors — the stacked hands part and swing outward.
Fingerspell “Open”
Letter by letter with the two-handed BSL alphabet — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
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.