How to Sign "About" in ASL

In American Sign Language (ASL), the usual sign for "about" in the sense of "concerning" or "on the topic of" uses both hands. Your non-dominant hand holds its fingertips together, and the index finger of your dominant hand circles around those fingertips. English "about" has more than one meaning, though, and ASL does not use one sign for all of them. Check which meaning you need before you sign it.

Which "about" do you mean?

English usage | Example | ASL approach

Concerning, regarding | "The meeting is about the budget." | The ABOUT sign described below

Approximately | "About ten people came." | A different sign, often glossed APPROXIMATELY

Around a place, nearby | "Walking about the town." | Usually shown with location or movement signs, not ABOUT

If you use the "concerning" sign where you meant "approximately," a signer may misunderstand you. This guide covers the "concerning" meaning in most detail and briefly describes the "approximately" form.

Step by step: ABOUT (concerning, regarding)

• 1. Choose your dominant hand. This is normally the hand you write with, and it does the moving.
• 2. Shape your non-dominant hand into a flat O: bring the fingertips together so they touch the thumb, like a loose beak.
• 3. Hold that hand in front of your chest. The fingertips should point toward your dominant side, and the palm should face roughly toward you.
• 4. Extend the index finger of your dominant hand and curl the other fingers in.
• 5. Circle the index finger around the bunched fingertips of the other hand. Keep the circle small and close, and repeat it once or twice.

Common mistakes: making the circle too large, tapping the fingertips instead of circling them, or letting the non-dominant hand drift around. The non-dominant hand should stay still. Only the index finger moves.

The "approximately" sense

For "about" meaning "roughly" or "more or less," signers commonly use one dominant hand, held open with the palm facing outward, making small circles near the shoulder. It is a separate sign from ABOUT. Context, such as a number or time that follows, makes the meaning clear.

Limitations of this guide

No source material was provided for this article, so the descriptions above reflect common, widely taught forms and have not been checked against a specific dictionary. Signs can vary by region, community and individual, and written descriptions miss details of handshape, movement and facial expression. To be sure, compare your sign with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or ask a fluent Deaf signer.

Checking your signing on camera

If you plan to use this sign on a video call, a quick camera check helps make sure the other person can read it.

• Framing: keep your hands, chest and face in view. Signs made in front of the chest are easy to cut off if the camera is aimed only at your face.
• Self-view mirroring: many video apps flip your own preview like a mirror, but other participants see the unflipped image. Your dominant hand may look like the "wrong" one in your preview even when it appears correctly to others.
• Lighting: light your hands and face from the front so your fingers do not blend into shadow.
• Background: a plain physical background that contrasts with your skin and clothing makes finger movements easier to see. Virtual or blurred background effects can sometimes smear or clip moving hands, so test any effect before relying on it.
• Recording a test: record a short clip of yourself signing and watch it back. Seeing your preview only confirms the camera is working; a recording shows whether the small circling movement is actually readable.