How to Sign "Chair" in ASL

The short answer

To sign CHAIR in American Sign Language (ASL), hold your non-dominant hand flat in front of you with the index and middle fingers extended together and the palm facing down. This is the seat. Then curve the index and middle fingers of your dominant hand and rest them across the top of the seat fingers, like legs hanging over the edge of a chair. Tap down twice with a short, small motion.

The repeated tap matters. The same handshapes with one firmer downward movement mean SIT. Many ASL noun-verb pairs follow this pattern: the noun uses a short repeated movement, and the verb uses a single movement.

Step by step

• 1. Form an H handshape with your non-dominant hand. Extend your index and middle fingers side by side, fold your ring finger and little finger into your palm, and tuck your thumb against them.
• 2. Turn that hand palm down so the two fingers point sideways across your body, at about chest height. This hand stays still.
• 3. Form the same two-finger shape with your dominant hand, then bend those fingers at the knuckles so they curve downward. This is called a bent H.
• 4. Place the curved fingers of your dominant hand on top of the extended fingers of your non-dominant hand, crossing them so they drape over like legs.
• 5. Make two small, quick taps downward onto the non-dominant fingers. Keep the movement short and relaxed rather than heavy.

CHAIR versus SIT

Both signs use the same hand arrangement, so the movement carries the meaning. A double tap reads as CHAIR, the object. A single downward placement reads as SIT, the action. If your taps blur into one long press, a viewer may understand SIT. Context in the sentence usually helps, but a clear double tap avoids the confusion.

Checking the sign on camera

If you are practicing in front of a webcam or showing the sign on a video call, open the camera's self-view and frame yourself from roughly the top of your head to below your chest, so both hands stay in the frame during the taps. Keep the light in front of you rather than behind you, so your fingers don't turn into a silhouette.

Many video-call apps and camera apps mirror the self-view by default. In a mirrored preview, your dominant hand appears on the opposite side from where other participants see it. This is normal and does not mean your signing is wrong. If you want to see exactly what others see, look for a mirror or flip setting in the app's video options, or record a short clip and play it back.

Limitations of this guide

This guide describes the commonly taught form of CHAIR in standard American ASL. It is based on general knowledge and not on a cited dictionary entry or a video demonstration. Written descriptions can't show the exact rhythm or how much the fingers curve, and individual and regional signers may vary the form somewhat. To confirm your form, compare it with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or ask a fluent Deaf signer to watch you.