How to Sign "Like" in American Sign Language

In American Sign Language (ASL), "like" in the sense of enjoying something, as in "I like coffee," has its own sign made at the chest. English "like" has several meanings, and ASL uses a different sign for each. Before you practice, check which meaning you need.

Which "like" do you mean?

Meaning in English | Example | How ASL handles it

To enjoy or be fond of | I like pizza. | The LIKE sign described below

Similar to, the same as | She looks like her sister. | A different sign, usually glossed SAME or SIMILAR, not the LIKE sign

Not enjoying something | I don't like rain. | A related sign, often glossed DON'T-LIKE, that starts like LIKE and ends with an outward flick

A social media "like" | Like my post. | Usually expressed through context, fingerspelling or a descriptive phrase, not one fixed sign

The rest of this guide covers the first meaning, which is what people usually mean when they search for this sign.

Step by step: the ASL sign for LIKE

• 1. Use your dominant hand, the one you write with.
• 2. Form the handshape: spread your hand open, then bring the thumb and middle finger forward so they extend slightly toward your body. The index, ring and little fingers stay relaxed and open. This is often called the open-8 handshape.
• 3. Place the hand near the center of your chest, with the thumb and middle finger lightly touching or almost touching the chest.
• 4. Move the hand forward, away from your body.
• 5. As it moves, close the thumb and middle finger together into a light pinch, as if lifting a small thread off your shirt.
• 6. Keep a pleasant or neutral facial expression. In ASL, facial expression adds meaning, and a frown or sour face sends a mixed message.

The motion is a single, smooth pull outward from the chest. It is not a tap or a repeated movement.

Common mistakes

• Using the index finger instead of the middle finger. The middle finger and thumb form the pinch.
• Starting the sign away from the body. It begins at the chest and moves outward.
• Adding a flick at the end. A flick outward changes the meaning toward DON'T-LIKE.
• Using the SAME or SIMILAR sign when you mean enjoy, or the reverse.

Checking your sign in a mirror or on camera

A mirror works for a quick check. Your computer's camera preview or a short phone recording also works, and it shows how the sign looks to someone watching you on a video call. When using a camera, check the following:

• Framing: your upper chest, both hands and your face should all be in view. LIKE is made at the chest, so a tight face-only crop can cut it off.
• Lighting: light your face and hands from the front so the handshape is visible. A bright window behind you can turn your hands into a silhouette.
• Background: a plain, uncluttered wall makes hand movements easier to follow. Virtual or blurred backgrounds can sometimes blur or clip moving hands at the edges, so compare with the effect turned off.
• Mirroring: many camera previews flip the image horizontally. This makes your dominant hand appear on the opposite side, but other people on the call usually see you unflipped.

Seeing a clear preview means the camera is capturing video. It does not guarantee that the sign will look smooth on a live call, where connection quality can blur fast movements. To check that, sign slowly during a test call with someone you trust.

Limitations of this guide

This guide describes the commonly taught form of the sign. It was not prepared from a filmed demonstration, and no source materials were supplied to confirm regional or generational variants. Like spoken languages, ASL varies between communities. Text cannot fully show movement, timing or facial grammar. To confirm your sign, ask a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor to watch you, or compare with a video dictionary made by Deaf signers.