How to sign “Working” in BSL

Everyday Basics

Step by step

  1. Hold both hands as flat blades, fingers together and straight, thumbs tucked.
  2. Rest the flat edge of your dominant hand across the top of the other hand.
  3. Tap the bottom edge of the upper hand against the top edge of the lower hand.
  4. Keep both palms facing sideways, fingertips pointing across your body.
  5. Repeat the small tapping motion twice, keeping your expression businesslike.

Practice tip

“Working” is signed with the base WORK sign — ASL/BSL marks ongoing action on the sign, not with a separate word.

Fingerspell “Working”

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 WBSL two-handed handshape for letter OBSL two-handed handshape for letter RBSL two-handed handshape for letter KBSL two-handed handshape for letter IBSL two-handed handshape for letter NBSL two-handed handshape for letter G

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