How to Sign Humble

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), HUMBLE is commonly described as a two-handed sign. Your dominant hand is held flat and on its edge. It starts near your chin or mouth, then moves downward and slips underneath your other hand, which is held flat and palm-down in front of you. The image is of lowering yourself, or placing yourself beneath others.

No confirmed source material was supplied for this guide. The description above reflects how the sign is commonly presented, but ASL signs vary by region, community and signer. Before you rely on it, confirm it against a reputable ASL video dictionary or with a Deaf signer or qualified ASL instructor.

Which sign language this covers

Sign languages are not universal. This guide covers ASL, the sign language most widely used in the United States and parts of Canada. British Sign Language, Auslan and other sign languages are separate languages, and their signs for humble may look different. If you are communicating with someone outside the ASL community, ask which sign language they use.

Step by step

• 1. Prepare your base hand. Hold your non-dominant hand flat in front of your chest, palm facing down, with your fingers together and pointing roughly sideways.
• 2. Form the moving hand. Make a flat hand with your dominant hand, fingers together. This is called a B handshape. Turn it on its edge so your palm faces sideways and your little-finger side faces down.
• 3. Set the starting point. Bring the moving hand up near your chin or mouth.
• 4. Move down and under. Lower the moving hand in one smooth motion and slide it forward beneath the palm of your base hand.
• 5. Add the expression. A slightly lowered head or a modest, understated facial expression often accompanies the sign. In ASL, facial expression is part of the meaning, not decoration.

How to check that you are signing it correctly

• Base hand: it stays still, flat and palm-down throughout.
• Moving hand: it keeps its flat, edge-on shape and does not curl into a fist or spread its fingers.
• Path: it travels from near your face down to below your base hand. It should not stop beside or on top of the base hand.
• Flow: the movement is one continuous motion, not a series of separate positions.

Practicing in front of a mirror shows you how the sign looks to someone facing you. Your own view can confirm the handshape and path. It cannot confirm that the sign is the one a particular community uses, or that your expression and rhythm look natural. Feedback from a fluent signer is the reliable way to check those.

Common mistakes

• Ending above the base hand instead of passing underneath it. The downward, under-the-hand movement carries the meaning of lowering oneself.
• Keeping a blank face. Without the modest expression, the sign can look incomplete or flat in tone.
• Treating a single source as definitive. If two references show slightly different versions, both may be in genuine use.

If you are unsure, fingerspell it

If you cannot confirm the sign, or the person you are signing with does not recognize your version, you can fingerspell H-U-M-B-L-E using the ASL manual alphabet. Many signers then show you the sign they use, which is a good way to learn the local form.

What this guide does not confirm

No verified dictionary entry, video reference or community source was available for this guide. The handshape and movement described here are a common presentation of the sign, not a confirmed standard. Regional variants, differences in where the movement starts, and differences in which part of the moving hand leads all exist across ASL. Check a trusted video reference or ask a Deaf signer before you use the sign in important communication.