How to sign “West” in ASL
The BSL sign for “West” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Shape your dominant hand into a W, three fingers up and the thumb holding the pinky.
- Hold the W in front of your chest at a comfortable height, palm angled slightly forward.
- Sweep the whole hand sideways to your left in one short, level motion.
- Keep the W handshape frozen and the palm steady through the sweep.
- Picture a map: west sits at the left edge, so the W travels toward it.
- Keep your face neutral and the movement crisp — direction signs stay small and clear.
Practice tip
Map logic: the W travels leftward, just as SOUTH's S drops downward — Lifeprint notes a few signers move the W rightward instead.
Fingerspell “West”
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.