How to Sign "Born" in ASL

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), BORN is usually signed with two flat hands. Your non-dominant hand stays palm up in front of your body. Your dominant hand starts near your stomach, then moves forward and down to land palm up on top of the other hand. The movement suggests a baby being delivered. The same sign is commonly used for both "born" and "birth."

Step by step

• 1. Form flat hands: hold both hands open with fingers together and thumbs alongside.
• 2. Set the base hand: hold your non-dominant hand in front of your body at about stomach height, palm facing up.
• 3. Start the dominant hand at your body: place your dominant flat hand near your stomach, palm facing your body.
• 4. Move forward and down: bring the dominant hand out from your body in a smooth arc, rotating it so the palm turns upward.
• 5. Finish on the base hand: let the back of the dominant hand come to rest in the upturned palm of the non-dominant hand.

Your dominant hand is the one you naturally write or throw with. Left-handed signers simply mirror the description.

Variations and possible confusion

Signers do not all produce BORN the same way. In one common version, the dominant hand starts palm down, just behind or under the base hand, and slides forward to emerge from it. Small differences in starting position and palm orientation are normal across regions and communities. If people around you use a different form, follow their usage.

BIRTHDAY is a separate concept. Many signers express it with different signs or a compound, so the BORN sign alone does not necessarily mean "birthday."

In sentences, ASL does not follow English word order. A question like "Where were you born?" is often structured more like "YOU BORN WHERE?" and uses a questioning facial expression. Facial grammar carries meaning in ASL, so the hand movement alone is not the whole sentence.

Making sure the sign is visible on a video call

BORN is made at stomach level, so a typical head-and-shoulders webcam frame can cut it off. Getting camera access working and seeing yourself on screen does not guarantee the other person can read your signs. Check the framing as a separate step.

• Framing: position the camera so it shows your head down to at least your waist, with some space on both sides for your hands.
• Lighting: light your hands and face from the front so the handshapes do not fall into shadow.
• Background: a plain physical background that contrasts with your skin and clothing makes hand movements easier to follow.
• Virtual backgrounds and blur: these effects can clip or smear moving hands at the edges, so test the sign with the effect switched off and on.
• Self-view mirroring: many call apps mirror your preview by default. The other person may see your hands on the opposite side from what your screen shows, which is normal and does not change the sign.

To check your result, sign BORN slowly in the app's self-view or record a short test clip. Confirm that both hands stay in frame for the entire movement and that the final position, with one palm resting on the other, is clearly visible.

Limitations of this guide

This description is based on general, widely taught forms of the sign. It is not drawn from a verified source dictionary or recorded demonstrations. A written description cannot fully show movement, timing, or facial expression. If accuracy matters, for example when communicating with a Deaf person or preparing teaching material, compare your sign with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or ask a fluent Deaf signer for feedback.