Colors in American Sign Language (ASL)
Learn how to sign colors in ASL, paying attention to movement as well as handshape. BLUE and BROWN both use a B-shaped hand, but BLUE turns in front of the body while BROWN moves down the cheek.
Watch 12 ASL color signs
Choose a color to play its ASL dictionary video. Select it again to replay, or use the speed control to study the movement more slowly.
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How to sign colors in ASL
Start with three objects near you and learn the sign for each color. Focus on four details in the video: handshape, palm direction, where the hand is placed and how it moves.
- Watch the whole sign, then replay it slowly. Identify the starting handshape and palm direction before following the movement.
- For one-handed signs, use your dominant hand. Check its position relative to your own face or body, rather than copying the signer's screen position.
- Look away from the video and sign the colors of your three objects. Replay to check your movement, then use the quiz to recognize color signs without their labels.
How to ask about colors in ASL
Color
How to sign “color” and “What color?”
To sign COLOR, hold your open dominant hand near your chin, palm toward you, and wiggle your fingers. Furrowed eyebrows can turn COLOR into “What color?” Compare the word and question videos, then watch the same question used to ask about a table.
How to sign “What is your favorite color?”
A common ASL sequence is YOUR FAVORITE COLOR WHAT. These labels show the sign order; the video shows the facial expression that goes with it. Answer with your chosen color, then compare the question with “Do you like brown?”
Use color signs in everyday questions
In “Is your chair green?”, look for GREEN as part of a yes-or-no question. In the paper and couch videos, recognize COLOR used to ask for information. Answer the paper and couch questions with a color from the palette.
Dictionary entries
Open in the dictionary (opens in a new tab).
ASL colors: handshape, movement and meaning
BLUE and BROWN both use a B handshape in common ASL forms: fingers straight and together, with the thumb tucked across the palm. For BLUE, rotate the forearm to turn the hand back and forth in front of the body, without bending the wrist. For BROWN, move the B-shaped hand down beside the cheek. The location and movement distinguish the two signs.
Other color signs use letter handshapes too: GREEN uses G and YELLOW uses Y, with a shaking or twisting movement. The letter helps you remember the handshape, but holding it still does not produce the color sign. Compare each video with BLUE to see how the handshape changes.
ORANGE can mean either the color or the fruit; the surrounding conversation tells you which. Gray and grey name the same color, so use the Gray video for either spelling.
Play BLUE and BROWN one after the other, then try each sign without the video. When you replay, check where your hand starts and where it moves. This helps you catch a correct handshape being used in the wrong place.
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ASL colors quiz: recognize the sign
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Which color do you see?
Watch six color signs and choose the matching English word. Replay before answering, then review any colors you missed. This quiz practices understanding signs you see; use the demonstration videos to check how you form them yourself.
Questions about ASL colors
How do you sign “color” in ASL?
Hold your dominant hand open with the palm toward you near the chin, then flutter your fingers. The hand can touch the chin or sit just in front of it. This is the sign for the word COLOR; individual colors have their own signs, shown in the palette above.
How do you ask “What is your favorite color?” in ASL?
One common sign order is YOUR FAVORITE COLOR WHAT, with the facial expression of a question. Watch the complete phrase in the “Favorite colors” tab to see the timing and eyebrow position. In this conversation, you can answer with a single color sign.
Are color signs the same in every sign language?
No. This page teaches American Sign Language (ASL). The German version teaches German Sign Language (DGS), and the Ukrainian version teaches Ukrainian Sign Language (УЖМ). Switching the website language also changes the sign language.
How do you sign dark blue or another dark shade in ASL?
A common way is to sign DARK before the color, such as DARK BLUE. Stronger movement and facial expression can make a color more intense or vivid, rather than darker: emphatic WHITE can mean bright white, for example.
Keep practicing ASL colors
Name the colors of your clothes or objects on your desk without looking at the videos, then check any signs you hesitate over. Next, learn ASL numbers to describe how many objects you see, or try a guided starter lesson.
