How to sign “Patient” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Patient” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Curl your dominant hand into a loose fist with the thumb riding up along the side.
- Press the edge of your thumbnail against the front of your chin.
- Drag the thumbnail straight downward about two inches, ending near the top of your throat.
- Angle your knuckles outward so the palm faces your non-dominant side during the drag.
- Hold a calm, composed expression, since the sign also carries restraint and willingness to endure.
Practice tip
Lifeprint glosses this production PATIENT, patience, restraint, and composure — the hospital-patient sense is a completely different sign.
Fingerspell “Patient”
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.