How to Sign "Great" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign most often used for "great" in the sense of excellent or wonderful is made with both hands open, palms facing forward, held up near the upper chest or shoulders. Push the hands forward and slightly outward a couple of times while showing a pleased facial expression. Many signers use the same or a very similar sign for "wonderful," so context and expression carry much of the meaning.

This guide assumes ASL because the reader is in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, use different signs, so this description should not be applied to them.

Which "great" do you mean?

ASL signs ideas rather than English words, so the right sign depends on what "great" means in your sentence.

• Excellent, wonderful or awesome: use the open-palm forward push described above. Some signers instead use an emphatic version of GOOD, or a sign for COOL or AWESOME, depending on tone and region.
• Large in size ("a great big house"): use a sign for BIG or LARGE, with the size shown by how far apart the hands move and how much the face emphasizes it.
• Family terms ("great-grandmother"): this is usually shown by modifying the sign for GRANDMOTHER or GRANDFATHER, for example with an extra forward movement, rather than by adding the excellent-meaning sign. Practice varies, so confirm with a fluent signer.
• Sarcastic "great" ("Oh, great"): the hand movement can stay similar, but a flat or annoyed facial expression changes the meaning. In ASL the face is part of the grammar, not decoration.

Forming the sign step by step

• 1. Raise both hands to about shoulder or upper-chest height, a comfortable distance in front of your body.
• 2. Open the hands with fingers together or slightly spread, palms facing outward toward the person you are signing to.
• 3. Push both hands forward and slightly outward in a short, repeated movement, usually twice.
• 4. Show a pleased or impressed expression, such as raised eyebrows or a smile. To show stronger enthusiasm, make the movement larger or more emphatic and the expression stronger.

How to check that you are signing it clearly

Watch yourself in a mirror and check that both palms face outward rather than toward you, that the hands stay roughly level with each other, and that the movement is short and repeated rather than one long sweep. Make sure your expression matches what you mean, since a neutral face can make the sign look flat or even sarcastic.

A mirror only confirms that you are following the written description. It cannot tell you whether the sign looks natural to fluent signers or matches the variant used in your community. For that, compare your signing with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or course, or ask a Deaf signer or qualified ASL instructor for feedback.

Limitations of this guide

No source material was available for this guide, such as dictionary entries, video demonstrations or regional usage data. The description above reflects commonly taught ASL usage, but signs vary by region, generation and community, and written directions cannot fully show movement, speed or facial grammar. If accuracy matters, such as for teaching, interpreting or published content, confirm the sign with a fluent signer or an established ASL reference before relying on it.