How to sign “Person” in ASL
BSL and ASL are different languages — this is the American sign. See the BSL sign for “Person” instead
Step by step
- Hold both hands in flat open handshapes, fingers together.
- Raise them to the sides of your torso, palms facing inward.
- Move both hands straight down past your body.
- Keep the palms facing each other through the whole drop.
- Hold a neutral face — PERSON is the plain citation form for an individual.
Practice tip
Flat hands dropping at your sides: 'one who does.' Add it after a verb to make an agent, like TEACHER.
Fingerspell “Person”
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.