Learn ASL to communicate with Deaf family and friends
If your Deaf partner, relative or friend uses ASL, ask how they prefer to communicate. Choose a conversation you share, learn useful signs and practise understanding the reply.
Try the signsTry a sign for a familiar conversation
Watch the video and choose what the sign means. This is practice with individual words, not an ASL conversation.
Suggest dinner together and ask what your relative or friend would like to eat or drink.
Sign 1 / 3
What does this sign mean?
What to notice in the video
When you watch a sign, look beyond the hand movement:
- How the fingers are shaped and which way the palms face.
- Where the movement begins and where it goes.
- The facial expression and movement of the head and body.
Individual signs do not show you how to build a sentence. ASL has its own grammar. For conversation, learn from complete signed examples and qualified teachers too.
Before you start
Ask what works for them
Ask which sign language your friend or relative uses and how they prefer to communicate while you learn. Not every Deaf person uses ASL or lipreads. ASL and British Sign Language are different languages.
Get their attention first
Give a small wave in their sightline and wait until they look your way. If you are showing a photo or message, pause before you start signing so they can look at it.
Make it easy to see you
Face them and keep your hands and face visible. If you also speak and that works for them, use a natural pace. Shouting does not help.
Plan your next conversation
Pick one situation you really share. Think about what you want to say and what they might say back.
At the tableSuggest dinner together and ask what your relative or friend would like to eat or drink.
Making a visitSuggest a weekend visit and agree where and when to meet.
A possible reply
Your friend might agree, offer another day or say they cannot make it. They may ask about the address or time.
How to check
Understood the day but missed the time? Ask about that part. You can check the time in a message and the place on a map together.
Checking inShare how your day went and ask how someone close to you is feeling.
What helps in a conversation
Practise together if you both want to
Ask if your friend or relative wants to practise, and when. Return to a familiar topic and change one detail: the day, the food or a preference. Every conversation does not need to become a lesson.
When you miss something
- Ask them to repeat or explain it another way. If you understood part of the message, ask about that part.
- If they missed what you meant, try another way: point to a place on a map or write a word, if that suits them.
- Forgot a sign? Show a photo or write the word, then look up the sign later.
In a group
Take turns and sit where everyone can see faces and hands. Avoid bright light behind the signer.
If your friend missed a joke or a topic change, explain what happened. Address them directly, even if someone else is helping you communicate.
On a video call
Set your camera so your face, hands and upper body are visible. Put the light in front of you.
You can also put a meeting time or address in the chat. If the video freezes, return to what your conversation partner missed.
What to do next
- Find signs in the dictionary
ASL video signs for people, everyday routines, feelings and plans.
- Start learning ASL
A general learning path if you are starting from the beginning.
- Learn the ASL alphabet
Useful for names and places if your conversation partner also knows fingerspelling.
Practise with Anysign
Short video lessons and a dictionary help you learn and revisit individual signs.
The dictionary and starter lessons are free. More lessons are available with a subscription.
Common questions
Which sign language should I learn for someone close to me?
Ask which language they use. ASL, British Sign Language and German Sign Language are different languages. Where someone lives does not always tell you which language they prefer.
Which ASL signs should I learn first?
For a meal, try eat, drink and cook. For a visit, try Saturday, meet and visit. Add the signs you wished you had known in your own conversations.
How can I get better at understanding signing?
Watch a short ASL video with an explanation, then replay it without looking at the label. Check what you understood. To understand conversation, also watch complete signed exchanges, not only dictionary signs.
How do I keep talking if I forget a sign?
Write the word if that works for both of you. You can fingerspell a name if you both know the alphabet. Look up the sign later.
Can I learn to communicate in ASL on my own?
You can learn and review signs on your own. An ASL teacher can help you understand grammar and correct mistakes; conversations help you understand different signers. Ask whether your friend or relative wants to practise with you.
How can I include a Deaf friend in a group conversation?
Ask what helps them follow along. Take turns, keep faces and hands visible, and explain a missed topic change or joke. Speak to your friend directly.
Communication guidance draws on the National Association of the Deaf and the National Deaf Center.