How to Sign "Bring" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), BRING is usually signed with both hands open and flat, palms facing up, as if carrying something. Start with the hands at one location and move them together in a smooth arc toward another location. The start point is where the thing comes from, and the end point is where it goes.

This guide describes ASL, the sign language most widely used in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, are separate languages with their own signs, so this description may not apply to them.

Step by step

• 1. Hand shape: Hold both hands open with the fingers together, palms up and slightly cupped, as though supporting a small object.
• 2. Position: Hold the hands in front of you, one a little ahead of the other, and off to the side where the item or person is coming from.
• 3. Movement: Move both hands together in one short, smooth arc toward the destination. Keep the palms up throughout the movement.
• 4. Ending: Stop at the destination, such as your own body for "bring it to me" or toward another person for "bring it to them."
• 5. Facial expression: Match your face to the sentence. For example, raise your eyebrows for a yes-or-no question like "Will you bring it?"

Direction changes the meaning

BRING is a directional verb, meaning the path of the movement shows who is involved. You usually don't need separate signs for "me" or "you" because the direction already carries that information.

• Bring it to me: Start out in front of you, away from your body, and arc toward your chest.
• I'll bring it to you: Start near your body and arc toward the person you're talking to.
• Bring it over there: Start near the source and arc toward the place you mean, or toward a spot you have already set up in the space around you to stand for that place or person.

Common mistakes

• Turning the palms down or sideways, which no longer looks like carrying something.
• Moving in the wrong direction, which can reverse who is bringing what to whom.
• Using a stiff straight line instead of a smooth arc.
• Signing with no facial expression in a question, which can make it look like a statement.

How to check that you've got it right

• Compare your sign with a video in a reputable ASL dictionary. A video shows movement and timing more clearly than a written description.
• Record yourself from the front and compare the recording side by side with the dictionary video. Check the hand shape, the palm direction and the path of the arc.
• Ask a fluent signer, a Deaf ASL instructor or an interpreter for feedback. This is the most reliable check, especially for how direction works in full sentences.

Comparing yourself with a video can confirm that your sign looks like the reference. It can't tell you whether your sign sounds natural in conversation or whether local signers use a different version.

Limitations of this guide

No source material about the sign was supplied for this article. The description above reflects how BRING is commonly shown in ASL learning materials. Signs can vary by region, community and age group. Some signers, for example, use a one-handed form or change the movement to fit the sentence. Treat this guide as a starting point and confirm the sign with a fluent signer or a trusted video dictionary.