How to Sign "I Don't Speak" in ASL

In American Sign Language (ASL), the language most widely used by Deaf people in the US, the usual way to say "I don't speak" is to sign ME, then the sign for what you don't do, then NOT, while shaking your head. The middle sign depends on what you mean. If you mean you don't know sign language, use SIGN. If you mean you don't talk out loud, use TALK. These two meanings use different signs, so decide which one you need before you start.

Pick the meaning first

The words in capitals below are glosses. A gloss is the English label signers use to write down an ASL sign. It is not a word-for-word translation, and ASL grammar does not follow English word order.

What you want to say | ASL gloss | When to use it

I don't know sign language | ME SIGN NOT (with a headshake) | A Deaf person signs to you and you can't follow

I sign only a little | ME SIGN LITTLE-BIT | You know some signs and want the other person to adjust

I don't talk / I don't use my voice | ME TALK NOT (with a headshake) | You are nonspeaking or choosing not to voice

I don't speak a particular spoken language | Not covered here | The signs for language names were not covered in this guide's sources; fingerspell the language name or write it down

How to sign "I don't know sign language"

• 1. ME: Point your index finger at the center of your chest.
• 2. SIGN: Point both index fingers toward each other. Move them in alternating circles that roll back toward your body.
• 3. NOT: Make a fist with your thumb pointing up. Place the tip of your thumb under your chin and flick it forward, away from your face.
• 4. Shake your head slowly through the whole phrase, or at least during NOT. In ASL, the headshake marks the sentence as negative. Without it, the phrase can look unclear or like a statement.

Putting NOT at the end is a common ASL pattern, but other word orders are also used. If the other person understands you and starts writing, gesturing or typing on a phone, the message worked.

How to sign "I don't talk"

Sign ME, then TALK, then NOT, shaking your head as before. A common form of TALK starts with the index finger near your mouth or chin and moves it forward and away. The variants differ in handshape and in whether the movement repeats. This is the sign in this guide most worth checking in a video dictionary.

Follow-up phrases that keep the conversation going

• ME SIGN LITTLE-BIT: After SIGN, hold your thumb and index finger close together with a small gap, showing "a little."
• KNOW-NOT ("I don't know"): Touch your fingertips to your forehead, then turn your hand outward and away.
• SLOW PLEASE: For SLOW, slide one hand slowly up the back of the other hand. For PLEASE, rub a flat hand in a circle on your chest.
• ME LEARN: Touch the fingertips of one hand to the palm of your other hand, then bring them up to your forehead as if placing information there.
• WRITE: Pretend to write on your open palm. This asks the other person to switch to pen, paper or a phone screen.
• Fingerspell A-S-L: For A, make a fist with your thumb against the side. For S, make a fist with your thumb across the front of your fingers. For L, extend your thumb and index finger in an L shape.

Check that your signing is clear

Practice the phrase in a mirror or record yourself on a phone. Check four things: your hands stay in front of your upper body, each handshape matches its description, the movement goes in the right direction, and your headshake is visible.

This self-check only confirms that your signs look like the descriptions above. It cannot tell you whether a Deaf signer will understand you, or whether people in your area use a different variant. For that, ask a fluent signer, a Deaf ASL instructor or a reputable ASL video dictionary.

Limitations of this guide

The signs here are general descriptions of commonly taught ASL. No source material was supplied to verify them, and written descriptions can't fully show movement, speed or facial expression. Sign languages are not universal. British Sign Language, Langue des Signes Québécoise and others use different signs for these phrases. ASL itself also varies by region and community. Confirm each sign with a video reference or a fluent signer before you rely on it.