How to Sign "How Many" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), "how many" is commonly signed with your dominant hand held palm up in a closed shape, either a loose fist or the fingertips gathered together. The hand then moves upward slightly while the fingers spring open into a spread "5" handshape. At the same time, you lower or draw your eyebrows together, the facial expression ASL uses for questions that ask who, what, where, when, why, which or how.

This guide covers ASL as used in the United States. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, use different signs, so this one may not be understood elsewhere. Even within ASL, details vary by region and between signers. For example, some people sign it with both hands, and some start from a slightly different closed handshape.

Step by step

• 1. Use your dominant hand, the one you write with. Hold it in front of your body at about chest height.
• 2. Turn your palm to face up.
• 3. Close your hand into a relaxed fist, or bring your fingertips together against your thumb.
• 4. Move your hand a short distance upward and flick your fingers open so they end spread apart, palm still facing up.
• 5. While you make the movement, lower or furrow your eyebrows and look at the person you are asking. Hold the expression through the end of the sign.
• 6. Usually, sign the thing being counted before or after "how many". For example, sign the word for siblings or children, then the "how many" sign. Word order can vary, and your facial expression is what marks the sentence as a question.

How to tell you did it right

• Your palm faces up from start to finish.
• The opening is one crisp flick, not a slow unfolding or a repeated wiggle.
• Your fingers end clearly spread, not loosely curled.
• Your eyebrows stay lowered for the whole question. If your eyebrows are raised instead, the sentence can look like a yes-or-no question.

A mirror or your phone's front camera lets you see your handshape and facial expression together. That checks whether your form matches the description above. It cannot tell you whether signers in your area use this exact variant. For that, ask a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor.

Signs that are easy to confuse

The sign for "many" on its own uses a similar opening movement. It is often made with both hands and sometimes repeated, and it is signed without the question expression. Some signers also use the same or a similar sign for "how much" and rely on context to make the meaning clear. Others use a separate sign for asking about amounts or prices. Because usage differs, watch how people around you sign these words.

Limits of this guide

No verified source material, such as a dictionary entry, video reference or instructor review, was supplied for this article. The description above reflects widely taught ASL conventions, but it has not been checked against a specific reference. Written descriptions also can't fully show timing, movement size or regional variants. Before relying on the sign in important conversations, compare it with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or confirm it with a fluent signer.