How to Sign "Old" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), "old" is usually signed by placing your dominant hand just below your chin in a loose C shape. Close it into a fist as you move it a short distance downward, as if gently pulling on a long beard. The beard image is a common memory aid: long beards suggest age.

This guide covers ASL, the sign language most widely used in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, have their own signs for "old," so check the sign language your conversation partner uses.

Step by step

• 1. Use your dominant hand, the one you write with.
• 2. Shape it like a loose letter C, with your fingers together and curved toward your thumb.
• 3. Bring it to the front of your chin, close to the face but not pressing on it.
• 4. Close the hand into a fist (the S handshape) around the imaginary beard.
• 5. Move the fist a few inches straight down from the chin, then stop.

The parts that carry the meaning are the location at the chin, the closing grip and the downward pull. Keep the movement smooth and controlled. A small, single pull is the everyday form.

Clarifying which "old" you mean

The English word "old" covers several ideas, and ASL does not always use the same sign for all of them.

• Age of a person, animal or thing ("my grandfather is old," "an old car"): the chin-and-pull sign described above is the usual choice.
• Asking or stating age ("How old are you?"): the same sign is used, combined with question grammar or a number, as explained below.
• Former or previous ("my old job," "my old address"): this usually means something from the past rather than something aged. Signers often express it with a past-time sign such as FORMER or USED-TO instead of OLD.
• Size or emphasis ("very old," "ancient"): signers often stretch or exaggerate the movement and add facial expression rather than adding a separate word.

Using "old" in "How old are you?"

A common way to ask someone's age is to sign OLD followed by a question sign, or OLD followed by pointing toward the person. Add the facial grammar for a question that asks for information: eyebrows drawn together and slightly lowered, often with a small forward tilt of the head. In ASL, that facial expression is part of the grammar, not just friendliness. Without it, the sentence can read as a statement.

When stating an age, many signers start at the chin, as with OLD, and then sign the number. Number handshapes and how they combine with age signs vary between signers and regions. No specific source was supplied for those details, so confirm them with a fluent signer or a reputable ASL dictionary before relying on them.

How to check that you are signing it correctly

Practice in front of a mirror, or record a short clip of yourself and watch it back. Check these points:

• Your hand starts at the chin, not the mouth or the chest.
• Your hand visibly closes from a C shape into a fist.
• The movement goes down and stops after a short distance.
• When you ask a question, your eyebrows and face show it.

A mirror or recording only shows whether your sign matches the description. It cannot tell you whether a Deaf signer would read it naturally in conversation, or which regional variations are common where you live. For that, the most reliable check is feedback from a Deaf ASL user, a qualified ASL instructor, or a reputable video-based ASL dictionary where you can watch native signers.

Signing "old" on a video call

"Old" is signed at the chin and moves downward, so your camera framing needs room below the face. If the frame is cropped tightly at the chin, the viewer may see only the start of the sign and miss the pull. Before signing to someone, look at your self-view and make sure your face and upper chest are both visible.

Limits of this guide

This guide describes the commonly taught ASL form of "old" based on general knowledge of the language. No dictionary entries, instructor reviews or regional usage data were supplied to verify it. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional and generational variation. If a signer you know uses a different form, follow their usage in conversation with them.