How to sign “Past” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Past” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Raise your dominant hand to chest height in front of your torso.
- Sweep the hand backward in a smooth arc that passes over your dominant shoulder.
- Let the hand travel well behind the shoulder so the backward motion clearly reads as the past.
- Keep your palm facing your body for the entire movement.
- Make the arc larger and more emphatic when you mean long ago — a bigger sweep means further back.
Practice tip
One backward sweep over the shoulder says PAST; a bigger, more emphatic arc means 'long ago'.
Fingerspell “Past”
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.