How to sign “Appear” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Appear” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Extend the index finger of your dominant hand, curling the rest of the fingers into a fist.
- Hold your non-dominant hand flat and horizontal with the palm facing down.
- Push your dominant index finger straight up between the fingers of the flat base hand.
- Make the pop-up quick and sudden, as if the finger is surprising everyone by surfacing.
- Keep your dominant palm facing sideways while the finger shoots upward through the base hand.
- Raise your eyebrows with a slightly startled look — something has just turned up.
Practice tip
This covers appear-as-in-show-up; for 'it appears that' use the SEEM sign instead.
Fingerspell “Appear”
Letter by letter — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Text-based guide researched from established ASL references (Lifeprint, university and public-health materials) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade.