How to Sign Interest and Interested

The Short Answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), "interest" and "interested" are usually shown with the same sign. Start with your hands open near your chest, with the middle finger bent forward. Then move your hands forward, away from your body, while the middle finger and thumb close together. ASL does not add an English-style "-ed" ending, so context, sentence structure and facial expression show whether you mean "interest," "interested" or, in many uses, "interesting."

Two points can change the answer. First, this sign is for interest as curiosity or engagement. Interest in the financial sense, such as interest on a loan, is generally a different concept in ASL, and this article does not cover it. Second, sign languages are not universal. The description here applies to ASL, the main sign language in the United States. British Sign Language and other sign languages use their own signs.

Key Terms

• Dominant hand: the hand you naturally lead with, usually the one you write with.
• Non-dominant hand: your other hand, which often stays still or plays a supporting role in two-handed signs.
• Open 8 handshape: an open hand with the fingers spread and the middle finger bent forward from the knuckle.
• 8 handshape: the middle finger and thumb touching, with the other fingers extended.

Step by Step: The Two-Handed Form

• 1. Form the open 8 handshape with both hands. Spread your fingers and bend each middle finger forward, toward your body.
• 2. Place your dominant hand near the center of your upper chest, with the bent middle finger close to or lightly touching your chest.
• 3. Place your non-dominant hand in the same handshape a little lower on your torso, below your dominant hand.
• 4. Move both hands forward together, away from your body.
• 5. As your hands move, bring each middle finger and thumb together so both hands finish in the 8 handshape.

Check your form: your hands should start at your body and end in front of it, with the middle finger and thumb touching on both hands. If they start out already closed, or if they end without the fingers touching, you have mixed up the opening and closing order.

The One-Handed Variant

Many signers use only the dominant hand at the chest, with the same opening shape, forward movement and closing shape. Both forms are commonly shown in learning materials. Signing styles vary between people and regions, so it helps to notice which version the signers around you use.

Showing "Interested" Versus "Interest"

Because the base sign usually stays the same, ASL shows these meanings in other ways. An engaged, attentive expression supports a statement like "I'm interested." When you ask a question, such as "Are you interested?", the facial grammar of a question carries the meaning. A headshake while signing generally shows negation, as in "not interested." Some signers also use other signs or phrasing for these ideas. This article does not include a verified source for every variant, so check the ones you plan to use with a fluent signer.

How to Check Your Signing

• Sign in front of a mirror, or record a short clip of yourself, and compare it with a video entry from a reputable ASL dictionary.
• Check each part separately: handshape, starting location, movement direction and ending handshape.
• Make sure your face is visible and expressive. In ASL, facial expression is part of the grammar, not decoration.
• If you can, ask a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor for feedback. A video can confirm that you match the shape, but it cannot tell you whether your signing looks natural or fits your local usage.

Limits of This Guide

A written description cannot fully capture movement, speed or facial grammar, and this guide does not include video. It also does not cover regional or generational differences in detail, signs for financial interest, or signs from languages other than ASL. If you want to learn sign language more broadly, a structured course taught by Deaf instructors is the most reliable next step.