How to sign “Pain” in BSL
BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the British sign. See the ASL sign for “Pain” instead
Step by step
- Hold both hands open in front of your body, palms facing toward you.
- Move the hands alternately up and down.
- Add a grimace that matches the severity of the pain.
Practice tip
Bigger alternating movements and a stronger grimace read as worse pain — scale the expression to the meaning.
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.