How to sign “Start” in BSL

Everyday Basics

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

Step by step

  1. Hold your non-dominant hand open and flat, palm up, fingertips pointing forward.
  2. Close your dominant hand into a fist, leaving the thumb extended.
  3. Swipe the extended thumb sharply downward across the open palm.
  4. Keep the open hand steady as the base while the thumb does the work.
  5. Use a decisive expression — the firm swipe marks the beginning of something.

Practice tip

The thumb 'switches on' against the flat hand — one crisp downward swipe.

Fingerspell “Start”

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 SBSL two-handed handshape for letter TBSL two-handed handshape for letter ABSL two-handed handshape for letter RBSL two-handed handshape for letter T

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