How to Sign “Any Questions?” in ASL

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the usual way to ask a group “any questions?” is to sign ANY followed by QUESTION while raising your eyebrows and looking at the people you are asking. In ASL, the raised eyebrows are part of the grammar. They mark the phrase as a yes/no question. If you make the hand movements with a neutral face, you are closer to stating “any question” than asking it.

One clarification changes the answer. Sign language is not universal. This guide covers ASL, the language most commonly used by Deaf communities in the United States and parts of Canada. British Sign Language (BSL), Auslan and other national sign languages use different signs. If the person you are communicating with uses another sign language, these instructions will not carry over.

Before you start: a note on written descriptions

Written descriptions of signs are approximations. Signs also vary by region, age group and individual signer. No verified video references or sign-dictionary entries were supplied for this guide. Use the descriptions below as a starting point, then confirm them against a reputable ASL video dictionary or with a Deaf signer or qualified ASL instructor before you rely on them, especially in a formal setting such as a class, presentation or meeting.

Step by step: signing ANY QUESTION?

• 1. Face the person or group and make eye contact. Signing toward the people you are addressing makes it clear the question is for them.
• 2. Sign ANY. Form an A handshape with your dominant hand: a closed fist with the thumb resting against the side of the index finger. Then twist the hand at the wrist so the thumb rotates outward and downward. Signers vary in whether they make one twist or a small repeated twist.
• 3. Sign QUESTION. Hold up your index finger and trace a question-mark shape in the air in front of you. The finger crooks as it moves and finishes with a short forward motion, like placing the dot under the question mark.
• 4. Raise your eyebrows throughout both signs. A slight forward tilt of the head is also common with yes/no questions.
• 5. Hold the final sign or your expression for a moment while you look around the group. The pause signals that you are waiting for a response.

When you address a whole room, many signers direct QUESTION outward toward the audience, or sweep their gaze across the group while signing it, so the question clearly applies to everyone.

Simpler and alternative ways to ask

• QUESTION? on its own, with raised eyebrows and a look around the group. In casual or classroom settings this is often enough to mean “any questions?”
• HAVE QUESTION? or QUESTION YOU? These phrasings are useful when you ask one person directly rather than a group.
• ASL word order is flexible, and signers sometimes place the pointing sign YOU at the end of a question. If someone answers you in a structure you do not recognize, the facial expression and context usually carry the meaning.

Common mistakes that change the meaning

• Furrowing the brows instead of raising them. In ASL, lowered or furrowed brows usually mark open “wh-” questions such as who, what or why. “Any questions?” is a yes/no question, so the brows go up.
• Signing with a blank face. Without the question expression, the phrase can read as a statement.
• Rushing through the signs without pausing. If you move straight on, people may not realize you are inviting a response.
• Looking at your hands or notes instead of the audience. Eye contact is part of how ASL directs a question.

How to check that you are signing it correctly

Practise in front of a mirror or record yourself, then compare the result side by side with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary. Check three things: the handshapes (fist with thumb alongside for ANY, a crooking index finger for QUESTION), the movement (a wrist twist, then the traced question mark), and the face (eyebrows raised through the whole phrase).

Self-checking only confirms that your signing resembles the reference you chose. It cannot confirm that the reference matches what the people you will sign with expect, or that your signing is easy to read at normal speed. The most reliable check is feedback from a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor. If you are signing for a specific person or community, it is also worth asking which signs they use, because local variants exist.

Limitations to keep in mind

Learning a single phrase is a courteous gesture, but it does not replace an interpreter when full communication matters. If a Deaf participant responds with a question, you will need a way to understand the answer and continue the conversation. For meetings, classes or events, arrange a qualified ASL interpreter or ask the participant which communication method they prefer, such as captions, an interpreter or written chat.