American Sign Language for Friend: How to Sign It and Check It on Camera

In American Sign Language (ASL), FRIEND is signed by hooking your two index fingers together, once with one hand on top and once with the other hand on top. The swap is part of the sign. It suggests two people linked to each other, and many learners find that image makes it easy to remember.

How to sign FRIEND step by step

• 1. Curl the index finger of each hand into a hook. Fold the other fingers and the thumb out of the way. This bent-index shape is often called the X handshape.
• 2. Hold your non-dominant hand in front of your chest with its hooked index finger pointing up.
• 3. Bring your dominant hand down from above, palm facing down, and hook its index finger over the non-dominant index finger so the two fingers interlock.
• 4. Separate the hands, then flip their positions. Hook them again with the non-dominant hand on top and the dominant hand underneath.
• 5. Keep the movement small and smooth, at about chest height, with your fingers clearly visible.

Your dominant hand is the one you normally write or reach with. Left-handed signers simply reverse the roles, and the meaning stays the same.

Related signs you may run into

• Friends (plural): the FRIEND hook is often repeated, sometimes with a slight sideways movement to show more than one person.
• Best friend or close friend: a commonly seen version holds up crossed index and middle fingers, the same shape as "fingers crossed." Some signers instead make the FRIEND hook with a firmer squeeze or extra emphasis. Usage varies, so follow what the people you sign with use.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the swap: a single hook with no reversal can be understood, but the full sign switches which hand is on top.
• Using straight fingers: the index fingers should be bent into hooks so they can lock together.
• Signing too low or too far to the side: keep your hands in front of your chest, where a viewer naturally looks.

Checking your sign on camera

Practicing in front of a webcam or phone camera lets you watch your own handshape and movement. Many video-call apps and camera previews mirror your self-view, so your dominant hand can look like it is on the opposite side. Other participants usually see the unmirrored image. This does not change the meaning of FRIEND, but it can be confusing if you compare yourself with a reference video.

• Frame yourself from roughly the waist or mid-chest up, so the space in front of your chest is fully in view.
• Make sure your hands are lit from the front and stand out from what is behind you. A plain, uncluttered physical background usually makes fingers easier to see than a busy one.
• If you use a virtual background or background blur, test it first. These effects can sometimes blur or cut off moving hands. Turn the effect off if your fingers flicker or disappear.
• Sign at a natural pace, then slow down slightly if the video looks choppy. Fast hand movement can smear on a weak connection.

Limitations of this guide

This guide describes the widely taught form of the sign in words. It is not based on measured tests or a specific video reference. Written descriptions cannot fully capture movement, and signs can vary by region, community and age group. To confirm your form, compare it with a video from a Deaf signer or an ASL instructor, or ask someone fluent to watch you sign.