How to Sign "Lost" in American Sign Language (ASL)

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign commonly used for LOST, as in losing something, starts with both hands held together near the center of your body, palms facing up and fingertips touching. Then you drop both hands slightly downward while opening and spreading your fingers, as if letting something fall out of your hands.

This guide covers ASL, the sign language most widely used in the United States. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, are separate languages with their own signs, so this description should not be assumed to carry over to them.

Which kind of "lost" do you mean?

English uses "lost" for several different ideas, and ASL does not always use one sign for all of them. Decide which meaning you need before you practice:

• Lost an object ("I lost my keys"): the dropping-hands sign described in this guide is the usual choice.
• Being lost and not knowing where you are ("I'm lost"): signers often use the same LOST sign along with a puzzled facial expression and context, but phrasing can vary between signers.
• Lost a game or competition: ASL generally uses a different sign for losing to an opponent, so the dropping-hands sign is not the right fit. Look this one up separately.
• Lost weight, lost track, lost interest and similar phrases: these are often expressed differently in ASL rather than translated word for word.

How to form the sign step by step

• 1. Shape both hands so that the fingertips and thumb of each hand touch, forming a loose, flattened "O" shape.
• 2. Bring the two hands together in front of your chest or upper stomach, palms facing up, with the backs of your fingers touching or nearly touching.
• 3. Move both hands downward and slightly apart in one smooth motion.
• 4. As the hands drop, open them so all five fingers spread, palms still facing generally down or outward, as if whatever you were holding just fell.
• 5. Match your facial expression to your meaning. A mild frown or raised, puzzled brows can show frustration or confusion. In ASL, facial expression is part of the grammar and the meaning, not just decoration.

How to check that you're forming it correctly

Because there is no instant feedback when you practice alone, use one of these checks:

• Mirror check: sign facing a mirror and confirm that both hands start closed and touching, then finish open and apart, lower than where they began.
• Recording check: record a short clip of yourself with your phone or computer camera and play it back. Make sure the whole movement stays in frame from your chest down to where your hands finish. A slightly wider shot that shows your face and upper body helps you see the handshape and your expression together.
• Comparison check: watch the sign demonstrated in a reputable ASL dictionary or by a Deaf or fluent signer, then compare your recording side by side, paying attention to hand position, direction of movement and speed.

A recording only confirms what your hands and face are doing. It does not confirm that your sign would be understood in a real conversation. Feedback from a fluent signer is the most reliable way to check that.

Limitations of this guide

This description is based on general, widely taught ASL vocabulary, not on a specific dictionary entry or video source supplied for this article. Signs can vary by region, community and generation, and a written description cannot fully capture movement, timing or facial grammar.

If you need the sign for an important conversation, confirm it with a video ASL dictionary, an ASL class or a Deaf community member. This is especially worth doing for the "I'm lost" and "lost a game" meanings, where usage varies most.