How to Sign “Add” in American Sign Language

There is no single sign for “add” in American Sign Language (ASL). The right sign depends on what you mean: adding something to a group or amount, adding numbers, or the abbreviation ADD. This guide covers the most common form for each meaning and how to check your signing on camera. Sign languages are not universal. If you need Russian Sign Language or another national sign language, these handshapes may not apply.

The short answer

For the general meaning, “add something to something,” a widely taught ASL form uses both hands. The non-dominant hand holds a fixed shape. The dominant hand rises from below, closes, and joins it, as if placing something onto a pile. For adding numbers in a sum, many signers use the PLUS sign instead. For the abbreviation ADD, the letters are usually fingerspelled.

Step by step: ADD (to add something to something)

• 1. Shape your non-dominant hand into a flat O. Bring all four fingertips together so they touch the thumb tip, with the fingers kept fairly straight rather than curled into a fist.
• 2. Hold that hand in front of your body, around chest height, fingertips pointing roughly toward the dominant side or downward.
• 3. Start your dominant hand open, fingers spread, below and slightly to the side of the non-dominant hand.
• 4. Move the dominant hand upward toward the non-dominant hand. As it moves, close it into a flat O.
• 5. End with the dominant fingertips meeting the fingertips of the non-dominant hand. The motion reads as gathering something up and adding it on.

Hand orientation, starting position and the exact contact point vary between regions, schools and individual signers. That variation is normal. No source material was supplied for this article, so treat the description as a starting point. Before relying on it, confirm it against a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or with a Deaf signer.

When another sign fits better

What you mean | Common approach in ASL

Add something to a group, list or amount | The ADD sign described above

Add numbers, as in “2 plus 3” | PLUS: the index fingers cross to form a “+” shape

Add more of something | Often signed as MORE, depending on context

The abbreviation ADD (attention deficit disorder) | Fingerspell A-D-D

Add a person to a call or group chat | Usually a context-dependent phrase rather than one fixed sign; ask the people you are signing with how they express it

To fingerspell A-D-D: for A, make a fist with the thumb resting against the side of the index finger. For D, point the index finger up while the other fingers and the thumb form a rounded circle. Sign the second D with a small bounce or slide to show the letter is repeated, rather than freezing in place.

Checking your sign on camera

If you are practicing or signing on a video call, record a short clip or watch your self-view. The ADD sign starts below chest height and finishes in front of the body, so the camera needs to show more than your face.

• Framing: keep your head, shoulders and torso down to about the waist in view, with some space on each side for your hands.
• Lighting: light your face and hands from the front. A bright window behind you can turn your hands into silhouettes.
• Physical background: a plain wall that contrasts with your skin tone and clothing makes handshapes easier to read.
• Virtual backgrounds and blur: call-app effects can clip or smear fast-moving fingers. Watch your self-view and switch the effect off if the flat-O handshapes lose detail.
• Mirroring: many apps flip your self-view, so your dominant hand may look like it is on the wrong side. This usually affects only your own preview, not what other people see.

Three separate things can go wrong on a call. The camera can be blocked: if the browser or operating system has not granted camera access, no video appears at all. The video can be unclear even when the camera works: poor lighting or framing can still hide your hands. And call quality can fail on its own: a slow connection may blur or freeze motion even when your setup looks fine locally. If a fluent signer says your sign is hard to read, check framing and lighting first, then the connection.

Limitations of this guide

The handshapes are described in words, which cannot fully capture movement, speed or facial expression, and no verified reference was supplied to confirm a single standard form. A video demonstration or feedback from a Deaf signer is the most reliable way to confirm both the sign and the meaning you intend.