How to Sign "Born" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign most commonly taught for BORN is the same sign used for BIRTH. Both hands are flat. Your non-dominant hand stays still, palm up, in front of your body. Your dominant hand starts near your stomach and moves forward and slightly down, ending with its back resting on the non-dominant palm. The movement suggests something coming out from the body.

This guide covers ASL because the reader is assumed to be in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, are separate languages with their own vocabulary, so this sign may not carry the same meaning in them.

No verified dictionary entry or video was supplied for this article. The description reflects the form most widely taught, but details such as palm orientation at the start vary between teachers and regions. Compare it against a reputable ASL dictionary video or a fluent signer before relying on it.

Step-by-step: forming the sign

• 1. Decide which hand is dominant. Use the hand you write with. It does the moving; the other hand stays still.
• 2. Set up the base hand. Hold your non-dominant hand flat, fingers together and thumb alongside, palm facing up, at about waist or lower-chest height in front of you.
• 3. Set up the moving hand. Flatten your dominant hand the same way and bring it close to your stomach, palm facing your body or angled upward.
• 4. Make the movement. Move the dominant hand forward and slightly downward in one smooth arc, turning it palm up as it travels.
• 5. Finish the sign. Let the back of the dominant hand land on the palm of the base hand. Hold briefly, then relax.

How to tell whether you signed it correctly

• Both hands stay flat, with fingers together rather than spread.
• The moving hand clearly starts at your body, not out in front of it.
• The motion is one smooth forward-and-down arc, not a tap or a repeated movement.
• The moving hand ends palm up, resting on the base hand.
• The base hand does not move to meet the moving hand.

Watching yourself in a mirror lets you check handshape and direction of movement. It only shows that your form matches the description. It does not confirm that the sign matches local usage or that a signer will read it naturally in context. Feedback from a fluent signer is the reliable check.

Using BORN in related phrases

The same sign is commonly used for the noun "birth" and is part of the usual sign for BIRTHDAY, which is often made as BORN followed by DAY. Some signers instead use a different birthday sign touching the chin and chest, so expect variation.

ASL does not use a separate sign for English "was" in a sentence like "I was born in Ohio." Signers typically express it with signs such as ME, BORN and the place, with the place fingerspelled or signed. Word order and facial expression matter here, and this guide does not cover full sentence grammar.

Common mistakes

• Starting the moving hand away from the body, which loses the "coming out" meaning.
• Curving or spreading the fingers instead of keeping both hands flat.
• Repeating the movement. The basic form is a single motion.
• Assuming the ASL sign works in other countries' sign languages.

Gaps and next steps

This article could not draw on a verified dictionary source, so it can't confirm which regional variant is most common in your area or show the exact palm angle a given teacher prefers. Because sign language depends on movement, watching a video demonstration from a recognized ASL dictionary, class or Deaf instructor is the best way to confirm the details and see BORN used in natural sentences.