How to Sign “Whatever” in ASL

In American Sign Language (ASL), “whatever” has no single word-for-word sign. The sign you need depends on what you mean. For the shrugging, indifferent “whatever,” signers commonly use a two-handed sign that is also glossed as ANYWAY or DOESN’T-MATTER. A gloss is the English label used to name a sign. If you mean “anything you like,” as in “whatever you want,” you would usually express it differently.

Which “whatever” do you mean?

• Indifferent or dismissive (“Whatever, it doesn’t matter”): use the ANYWAY / DOESN’T-MATTER sign described below.
• Open choice (“Order whatever you want”): this meaning is usually conveyed by rephrasing. For example, you might use a sign for “any” or sign that the other person gets to decide. The dismissive sign is not used for this meaning.
• A different sign language: this guide covers ASL, which is used in the US. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, have their own signs, and the ASL form may not carry over.

How to form the common sign

• 1. Open both hands flat with your fingers together, and hold them in front of your chest.
• 2. Turn your palms toward your body and point your fingertips toward each other.
• 3. Brush your fingertips past each other with a loose back-and-forth motion. Do this several times, keeping it relaxed rather than sharp.
• 4. Add a matching facial expression and posture, such as a slight shrug or an unbothered look. This shows the tone you intend.

In ASL, the face, head and shoulders are part of how meaning and tone come across. They are not decoration. With a calm, neutral face, the same hand movement reads more like “anyway” or “it doesn’t matter.” With an eye-roll or a pointed shrug, it reads as the dismissive “whatever.” That version can seem as curt in sign as it does in speech.

Limitation: this description is general. No dictionary entry or video source was checked for this article. Regional and personal variations exist, and some signers may use a different form altogether. Before you rely on the sign, compare it with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or ask a fluent Deaf signer.

How to check your sign

• Practice in front of a mirror, or record a short clip with your phone or computer camera.
• Check that your hands stay at chest height and that the fingertips pass each other rather than collide or stay apart.
• Make sure your face is visible in the frame along with your hands, because your expression carries part of the meaning.
• Compare your clip side by side with a reference video and adjust your handshape, palm direction and motion until they match.

A matching recording confirms that the handshape, palm direction and movement look right. It does not tell you whether the sign feels natural in conversation or whether your expression gives the tone you want. Feedback from a fluent signer is the reliable way to check those.