How to Sign "Got" in ASL

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), there is no single sign that matches every use of the English word "got." Choose the sign by meaning, not by the English word. When "got" means received, obtained or picked up, use the sign GET. When it means possession, as in "I've got a car," use HAVE. When it means understood, as in "I got it," use UNDERSTAND. ASL usually shows past tense with context or a time sign rather than by changing the verb, so "got" is often just GET placed in a past-time context.

How to sign GET (received or obtained)

• 1. Hold both hands in front of your body, open with fingers slightly spread or curved, with your dominant hand above your non-dominant hand.
• 2. Move both hands toward your body.
• 3. As they move, close both hands into fists so the dominant fist ends stacked on top of the non-dominant fist.
• 4. Keep the motion short and smooth, as if grabbing something and pulling it in.

To check your form, sign it in front of a mirror: both hands should start open, finish as stacked fists, and move toward you rather than away. Note that this self-check confirms only the basic shape and direction; it cannot confirm natural rhythm or regional preference, which a fluent signer can judge.

When "got" means something else

English sentence | Meaning of "got" | ASL sign to use

I got a letter yesterday. | Received | GET, with a past-time sign such as YESTERDAY

I've got two brothers. | Have, possess | HAVE

I got it. / Got it! | Understood | UNDERSTAND

I got tired. | Became | Usually no separate sign; sign the state (TIRED) with context

HAVE is commonly signed by bringing the fingertips of both bent, flat hands to touch your chest. UNDERSTAND is commonly signed by holding a closed hand near the side of your forehead and flicking the index finger up.

Showing past tense

ASL does not add an ending to verbs the way English adds "-ed" or switches "get" to "got." Signers usually establish the time first, with a sign such as YESTERDAY or PAST, or use FINISH to show a completed action. After the time is set, GET alone can carry the meaning of "got."

Limitations of this guide

This guide describes commonly taught ASL forms and was not verified against a specific dictionary or video source for this article. Signs vary by region, community and signer, and written descriptions cannot fully capture movement, facial expression or timing. If accuracy matters, for example for a class, a presentation or communicating with a Deaf person, confirm the sign with a video ASL dictionary or a Deaf instructor. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, use different signs.