How to sign “approach”

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign most often taught for “approach” in the sense of moving closer uses two bent flat hands. The dominant hand moves forward toward the back of the non-dominant hand, as if one thing is closing the distance to another. The English word has several meanings, though, and ASL does not use one sign for all of them. Check which meaning you need before you settle on a sign.

The short answer

For “approach” meaning to come near something or someone, hold both hands in a bent-B shape. A bent-B is a flat hand with the fingers together and the thumb alongside, bent forward at the large knuckles. Place the non-dominant hand in front of you and the dominant hand behind it, closer to your body, with both palms facing you. Then move the dominant hand forward until it is close behind the non-dominant hand. This guide describes ASL, the sign language most widely used in the US. British, Australian and other sign languages use different signs.

Step by step

• 1. Decide which hand is dominant. This is usually the hand you write with. It does the moving, and the other hand stays still as a reference point.
• 2. Form a bent-B with each hand: fingers straight and together, thumb resting alongside the hand, and the fingers bent forward at the large knuckles.
• 3. Hold the non-dominant hand out in front of your chest with the palm facing you and the bent fingers pointing to the side.
• 4. Place the dominant hand nearer your body, behind the non-dominant hand, also with the palm facing you.
• 5. Move the dominant hand forward toward the back of the non-dominant hand and stop when it is close. The motion shows one thing drawing near to another.
• 6. Add facial expression where it fits. ASL uses the face and the size of the movement to carry meaning, so a slower or more deliberate movement can suggest a gradual approach.

Signers vary in a few details: whether the hands end up touching or nearly touching, and whether the dominant hand moves in one smooth glide or in small steps. These variations are normal and differ by region and by individual signer. Written descriptions cannot settle them, so treat the steps above as a starting point rather than the only correct form.

How to check your form

• Watch yourself in a mirror or record a short clip, and check four things:
• Handshape: both hands stay flat and bent at the knuckles, with no curled fingers and no spread fingers.
• Orientation: both palms face you throughout the sign.
• Movement: only the dominant hand moves, and it travels toward the back of the still non-dominant hand.
• End position: the hands finish close together, not crossed past each other.

Self-checking confirms that you are producing the shape and movement you intended. It cannot confirm that your version is the one used where you live, or that it reads naturally to fluent signers. The most reliable check is to compare it with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or to ask a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL teacher.

Which meaning of “approach” do you need?

ASL chooses signs by meaning, not by English spelling. The sign above suits physical nearness. Other uses of “approach” are usually expressed differently:

Meaning in English | Typical way to express it in ASL

Moving closer to a thing or place (“the car approached the bridge”) | The bent-hand sign described above

One person walking up to another (“she approached me”) | Often a classifier: an upright index finger stands for a person and moves toward another location or toward the signer

Time drawing near (“the deadline is approaching”) | Often the same nearness idea, or a sign meaning “soon” or “close,” depending on the signer

A method or strategy (“a new approach to the problem”) | Usually a sign for “way” or “method,” or a rephrasing such as “how we handle it”

Raising a topic with someone (“approach your manager about it”) | Usually a rephrasing such as “go to,” “ask” or “talk with”

A classifier is a handshape that stands for a category of object, such as a person or a vehicle, and moves through space to show what that object does. Classifiers are a core part of ASL. This is why “approach” in a story is often shown rather than signed with a single fixed word.

Limits of this guide

No verified source material was supplied for this article. The descriptions here reflect commonly taught ASL forms and general principles of the language, and they have not been checked against a specific dictionary entry or video. Text cannot fully convey movement, speed and facial expression. If accuracy matters, for example for teaching, interpreting or communicating with a Deaf colleague, confirm the sign with a video reference or a fluent signer before you rely on it.