How to Sign "Home" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), HOME is made with one hand in a flat-O shape: the fingertips are bunched together and touch the thumb. Touch the fingertips to your cheek near the corner of your mouth, then move the hand back and touch your cheek again, closer to your ear. Use your dominant hand. It is two light touches along the side of the face, not a sweep or a tap on the lips.

"Home" can mean a house, a household, or a sense of belonging. The sign described here is the standard HOME used for all of these in everyday ASL. A separate sign, HOUSE, traces the outline of a roof and walls with both hands. Use HOUSE when you mean the building itself.

Step by step

• 1. Form the handshape. Bring the tips of all four fingers together so they meet the pad of your thumb. This is called a flat O. The fingers stay fairly straight, and the hand looks like a closed beak.
• 2. Find the first contact point. Raise your dominant hand to the side of your face and lightly touch the fingertips to your cheek just beside the corner of your mouth.
• 3. Make the second contact. Lift the hand slightly and move it back along the cheek. Touch again higher up, toward the ear and roughly level with the cheekbone.
• 4. Keep it relaxed. Both touches are light and brief. Keep the palm facing toward your face and your elbow comfortably down.
• 5. Use your dominant hand consistently. Right-handed signers use the right side of the face. Left-handed signers mirror the whole sign on the left side.

Common mistakes

• Opening the hand. If the fingers spread apart or curl into a fist, the handshape changes and the sign becomes harder to read.
• Touching the lips or chin. The first contact belongs on the cheek beside the mouth, not on the mouth itself.
• Sliding instead of touching. The usual form is two separate contacts, not one continuous drag across the cheek.
• Moving forward instead of back. The hand travels from near the mouth toward the ear, not out toward the person you are signing to.

Variations you may see

Some signers touch twice at the same spot on the upper cheek. Others make the two contacts closer together, or shorten the movement when signing quickly. Signs also vary between regions and communities. If someone you sign with regularly uses a different form, follow their usage. This guide is based on general descriptions of the sign and was not checked against a specific dictionary or a Deaf instructor. A video demonstration from a Deaf signer or a reputable ASL dictionary is the most reliable way to confirm the form you are learning.

Checking your sign on camera

Recording yourself is a simple way to check the handshape and the two contact points. It also helps if you plan to sign on video calls. Keep three things separate: whether the app is allowed to use the camera, whether it actually captures a clear image, and whether the image stays readable during a live call.

• Camera access: If the preview stays black, check the camera permission in your browser or in your operating system's privacy settings, and close other apps that might be using the camera.
• Framing: Sit far enough back that the frame shows your head, both shoulders, and some space beside your face. HOME happens at the cheek, so a tight crop on the face alone can cut off the hand.
• Lighting: Light your face and hands from the front. A bright window behind you can turn your hand into a silhouette and hide the flat-O shape.
• Background: A plain physical background that contrasts with your skin and clothing makes the hand easier to see. Virtual or blurred backgrounds can sometimes erase or smear moving hands near the edge of your head. If your hand flickers or disappears in the preview, turn the effect off.
• Mirrored preview: Many apps show you a mirrored self-view while the other person sees the unmirrored image. If your right hand appears on the right side of your own preview, the app is mirroring it. Recordings and other viewers usually show the correct side, but check your app's setting if you are unsure.
• Live call quality: A slow or unstable connection can blur fast hand movements even when your local preview looks sharp. If the other person says the sign looks smeared, try signing a little more slowly or improving the connection.

Quick self-check

• Fingertips and thumb meet in a flat O throughout the sign.
• The first touch is on the cheek beside the mouth, not on the lips.
• The second touch is farther back, toward the ear.
• The hand moves back along the face, not forward.
• On camera, your face, the hand, and the space beside your cheek are all fully in frame and clearly lit.