How to Sign "Next" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the common sign for "next," meaning the following one in a sequence, uses both flat hands held in front of you with palms facing your body. One hand is held closer to you. That back hand lifts up and over the front hand and lands in front of it, as if one step is hopping past another.

The meaning you intend matters, because English uses "next" in several ways that ASL signs differently. The sign above covers "next in line" or "the next one." "Next to" (beside), "next week" and "your turn" are separate signs, covered below. This guide describes ASL as used in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, use different signs.

How to form the sign step by step

• 1. Make both hands flat with the fingers together. Some signers bend the fingers slightly at the knuckles.
• 2. Hold both hands in front of your chest with palms facing toward you and fingers pointing sideways.
• 3. Place your non-dominant hand (your left hand if you are right-handed) farther from your body. Place your dominant hand behind it, closer to your chest.
• 4. Keep the front hand still. Lift the back hand up, arc it over the front hand, and set it down in front.
• 5. Make one smooth movement and stop. Do not repeat it.

Checking your sign

A mirror or a short recording of yourself can help you check the basics. Look for four things. Both palms face you. Your non-dominant hand stays still. Your dominant hand starts behind and ends in front. The arc goes over the front hand, not around its side. A self-check like this confirms only that you are following the description. It cannot tell you whether your sign looks natural or matches local usage. Feedback from a fluent signer, a qualified ASL instructor, or video in a reputable ASL dictionary is the more reliable check.

Related meanings that use different signs

English meaning | How it differs

Next (the following one) | The over-the-hand movement described above.

Next to (beside) | A separate sign. It shows two things positioned side by side rather than one passing the other.

Next week, next year | Time expressions with their own signs. These usually have a forward movement that shows the future.

Your turn, I'm next | Often expressed with signs about turns or order, depending on context.

This guide did not have verified source descriptions for the handshapes and movements of these related signs. Look them up in an ASL dictionary with video, or ask a fluent signer, rather than relying on a written approximation.

Limitations to keep in mind

ASL has regional and community variation, and a single sign can have accepted variants. Facial expression, context and sentence structure also shape meaning in ASL, so learning one sign by itself is only a starting point. A written description cannot fully capture movement, so compare your sign with a video demonstration from a credible ASL source before using it in conversation.