How to sign “Builds” in ASL

Everyday Life

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

Step by step

  1. Shape both hands into bent hands with your fingers curled at the knuckles, palms facing down.
  2. Hold your hands in front of your chest in neutral signing space.
  3. Lay one bent hand across the top of the other hand.
  4. Lift the lower hand over and stack it on top, moving upward with each layer.
  5. Alternate the hands several times, each stack rising higher, as if building a brick wall.

Practice tip

“Builds” is signed with the base BUILD sign.

Fingerspell “Builds”

Letter by letter — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.

ASL handshape for letter BASL handshape for letter UASL handshape for letter IASL handshape for letter LASL handshape for letter DASL handshape for letter S

See all ASL handshapes in the alphabet reference

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.

Browse all 1121 signs in the dictionary