How to Sign "Grandparents" in American Sign Language

This guide covers how to sign the word "grandparents" and its related family signs in American Sign Language (ASL), the sign language most widely used by Deaf communities in the United States. If you meant signing your name on something for your grandparents, such as a card, this guide does not cover that. If you use another sign language, such as British Sign Language, the signs are different and the descriptions below will not apply.

The short answer

In ASL, "grandparents" builds on the signs for mother and father. Both use an open hand with fingers spread, called a 5 handshape. Signs for female family members are traditionally made near the chin, and signs for male family members near the forehead. To turn mother or father into grandmother or grandfather, you add a forward movement away from the face. To sign "grandparents," many signers combine the two locations, touching the chin and the forehead, and finish with that forward movement. Others simply sign GRANDMOTHER and GRANDFATHER one after the other.

ASL has regional, generational and family variation, so treat the descriptions here as a common starting point rather than the only correct form. No verified reference material was supplied for this article, so check your signing against a reputable ASL video dictionary or a fluent signer, as described below.

The related signs at a glance

Sign | Handshape | Starting location | Movement

MOTHER | Open 5 hand, fingers spread | Thumb touches the chin | Tap the chin with the thumb

FATHER | Open 5 hand, fingers spread | Thumb touches the forehead | Tap the forehead with the thumb

GRANDMOTHER | Open 5 hand, fingers spread | Thumb at the chin | Move the hand forward away from the face in two small arcs

GRANDFATHER | Open 5 hand, fingers spread | Thumb at the forehead | Move the hand forward away from the face in two small arcs

GRANDPARENTS (one common form) | Open 5 hand, fingers spread | Thumb at the chin, then at the forehead | Finish by moving forward in small arcs

How to sign it step by step

• 1. Use your dominant hand, the one you write with. If you are left-handed, mirror every description.
• 2. Make a 5 handshape: open your hand and spread all five fingers, palm facing to the side rather than toward your face.
• 3. For GRANDMOTHER, touch the tip of your thumb to your chin, then move your hand forward and away from you in two small, bouncing arcs.
• 4. For GRANDFATHER, do the same, starting with your thumb at your forehead.
• 5. For GRANDPARENTS, touch your thumb to your chin, then to your forehead, then move forward in the small arcs. Alternatively, sign GRANDMOTHER followed by GRANDFATHER.
• 6. Keep your other hand relaxed and out of the way. Some signers place the non-dominant hand in front, also in a 5 handshape, as a variant; you do not need it for the basic sign.

How to check that you are signing it correctly

Reading a description is not the same as seeing the sign in motion, so verify it before you rely on it.

• Watch yourself in a mirror and confirm three things: the handshape is open with fingers spread, the thumb touches the right spot (chin for female, forehead for male), and the movement goes forward, away from your face, not down or toward you.
• Record a short clip of yourself and compare it side by side with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary. Video shows movement and speed better than a mirror can.
• Ask a fluent ASL signer, ideally a Deaf signer, to watch you. This is the only check on this list that confirms the sign is understood the way you intend.
• If you are learning the sign to talk with a specific Deaf family member, ask them how they sign it. Many families use their own sign or a name sign for each grandparent, and that will matter more to them than the dictionary form.

Limitations to keep in mind

A mirror or recording confirms that your hand matches a model you trust; it cannot tell you whether that model is the form used in your area or family. Regional and generational variants exist, and a sign that looks slightly different from the one you learned is not necessarily wrong. If you are ever unsure what sign someone is using, it is acceptable to fingerspell the word or simply ask.