Basic Conversational Sign Language Phrases

The short answer

The most useful starting phrases in American Sign Language (ASL) cover greetings, courtesy, introductions and repair: hello, thank you, please, sorry, my name is, what is your name, nice to meet you, yes, no, I don't understand, please repeat and please sign slower. Two conditions limit that answer. First, ASL is a language in its own right, with its own grammar, so phrases are not English sentences converted word by word. Second, written descriptions of signs only approximate them, so confirm each sign by watching it performed, ideally by a Deaf signer or instructor. If you sign over video, the camera image carries the conversation. The microphone does not, so framing and lighting matter more than audio settings.

How conversational ASL differs from spoken English

ASL is not a signed version of English. It uses handshape, location, movement, palm orientation and facial expression together, and its word order often differs from English. A common example is the question "What is your name?", which is usually signed in an order closer to YOUR NAME WHAT. Facial expression is grammatical, not decorative. Raised eyebrows typically mark a yes/no question. Lowered or furrowed eyebrows typically mark a question that asks who, what, where, when, why or how. Signing the right hand movements with a blank face can change or blur the meaning.

Signs also vary by region, generation and community, much as spoken vocabulary does. If someone you are talking with uses a different sign for a word you learned, follow their lead. Sign languages also differ by country. British Sign Language, for instance, is a separate language from ASL, and this guide covers ASL as used in the US.

Common beginner phrases

Signs are written below in capital-letter glosses, the usual convention for labelling signs. The descriptions are simplified starting points. Check each one against video before relying on it.

Phrase | Typical ASL gloss | Simplified description

Hello | HELLO | Flat hand starts near the forehead and moves outward, similar to a casual salute

Thank you | THANK-YOU | Fingertips of a flat hand start at the chin and move forward and down toward the person

Please | PLEASE | Flat hand rubs in a circle on the chest

Sorry | SORRY | Closed fist rubs in a circle on the chest

Yes | YES | Fist nods up and down, like a head nodding

No | NO | Index and middle fingers close onto the thumb

My name is... | MY NAME ... | Flat hand on chest for MY; for NAME, the index and middle fingers of one hand tap twice across the same two fingers of the other hand; then fingerspell your name

What is your name? | YOUR NAME WHAT | Flat palm toward the person for YOUR, then NAME, then WHAT, with eyebrows lowered

Nice to meet you | NICE MEET YOU | One flat hand slides across the other palm for NICE; two raised index fingers come together for MEET; point to the person for YOU

I'm fine | FINE | Open hand, thumb taps the chest

I don't understand | UNDERSTAND with a headshake | Index finger flicks up near the forehead while shaking the head

Please repeat | AGAIN | Bent hand arcs over and lands in the opposite palm

Please sign slower | SLOW | One hand slides slowly up the back of the other hand

See you later | SEE LATER | V-shaped fingers move out from near the eyes, then LATER

The phrases that repair a conversation, such as AGAIN, SLOW and "I don't understand", deserve early practice. They let a beginner keep a conversation going instead of stopping it. Learning to fingerspell your own name is equally practical, because introductions depend on it.

"How are you?" is common but has several regional and informal variants, so it is left out of the table. Learn the form used by the people or the course you are learning from.

What this means for signing on a webcam

For readers focused on webcam audio, the key point is that a signed conversation happens in the video feed. The built-in microphone does not capture sign language. Audio becomes relevant only in mixed conversations, for example when a hearing participant speaks, when an interpreter voices what is signed, or when speech is being captioned. In those cases ordinary speech-capture considerations apply to the speaking participants, not to the signer.

Because the signs above depend on handshape, movement and facial expression, the following general practices help a signer stay readable on camera:

• Frame from the top of the head to roughly the waist, with room on either side for the hands to move.
• Keep the face clearly visible and evenly lit, since eyebrow position carries grammatical meaning.
• Light the signer from the front rather than from a window behind them, which can turn the hands into silhouettes.
• Use a plain background that contrasts with skin tone and clothing so handshapes stand out.
• Where the conferencing platform allows it, pin or spotlight the signer or interpreter so their video tile stays large.
• A stable connection and a smooth frame rate help, because fast movements can blur or stutter on a choppy feed.

Evidence gaps

No specific evidence was supplied for this guide, such as tested webcams, measured frame rates, microphone specifications or platform feature comparisons. The camera guidance above reflects general principles of visual communication, not test results, and it does not recommend particular hardware or settings. The sign descriptions are simplified summaries of widely taught ASL signs, not a substitute for video instruction. If you are choosing equipment for signed calls, check the camera's documented resolution, frame rate and low-light behavior against your own setup.

Next step

Pick five phrases from the table, such as hello, thank you, my name is, AGAIN and SLOW. Watch each one demonstrated on video, then practice in front of your own webcam with the framing described above. Reviewing your recording is a quick way to check both your signing and whether the camera setup shows your hands and face clearly.