How to Sign “Pretend”: What to Check Before You Learn It

The short answer

There is no single universal sign for “pretend.” The correct sign depends on two things: which sign language you are using, and which meaning of “pretend” you intend. Sign languages are separate languages, not signed versions of English. American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL) and Russian Sign Language each have their own vocabulary. If you are in the US, you most likely want ASL.

This guide has no verified source for the exact handshape, location and movement of the sign. It does not describe them, because a wrong written description could teach an incorrect sign. Instead, it explains how to pin down the meaning you need, how to find and confirm the sign, and how to practice it so it reads clearly on video.

Decide which “pretend” you mean

English uses “pretend” for different ideas, and sign languages often express these with different signs. Choose your meaning before you look anything up.

• Make-believe or imaginative play, as in “the kids are pretending to be pirates.”
• Faking or deceiving, as in “he pretended to be sick.”
• Acting as if something were true, as in “pretend you didn’t see that.”

If you search with only the English word, results may mix these meanings. Adding the context, such as “pretend play” or “fake,” helps you find the sign that fits your sentence.

Step by step: find and confirm the sign

• 1. Confirm the language. Use ASL for most US contexts. If you are communicating with someone else, ask which language they use.
• 2. Look up the word in a video-based sign dictionary for that language. Signs involve movement and facial expression, which still images and text descriptions convey poorly.
• 3. Compare at least two sources. Regional and generational variants exist. If the sources differ, that is normal and does not necessarily mean one is wrong.
• 4. Watch the signer’s face as well as their hands. In ASL, facial expression and body movement carry grammatical and emotional meaning.
• 5. Check with a fluent signer, ideally a Deaf instructor or community member. This is the most reliable way to confirm your version is correct and natural.

Practicing the sign on camera

If you plan to sign on a video call or record yourself for feedback, how you set up the camera affects whether the sign can be understood. Camera access, successful video capture and call quality are separate. The app can detect your camera and still show a picture that cuts off your hands or blurs fast movement.

• Framing: Include your face and your full signing space, roughly from the top of your head to your waist, with room on both sides for your hands. A close-up that shows only your face hides the sign.
• Lighting: Light your face and hands from the front. A bright window behind you can turn your hands into silhouettes.
• Background: A plain physical background that contrasts with your skin tone and clothing makes handshapes easier to read. Virtual or blurred call backgrounds are software effects, and they may clip or smear moving hands. Turn them off when signing.
• Self-view mirroring: Many call apps mirror your own preview, so your movements look flipped to you, while others often see the unmirrored image. Don’t correct your sign’s direction based only on the mirrored preview.
• Movement clarity: If the video looks smeared, try more light first. Dim lighting often makes cameras blur motion.

Verify the result

Record a short clip of yourself signing the word in a full sentence, then watch it back next to the dictionary video. Check that your handshape, placement, movement and facial expression match. Then share the clip with a fluent signer for confirmation, since self-review cannot catch everything a native user would notice.

What this guide does not cover

No confirmed source was available for the specific form of the sign in ASL or any other sign language, so the handshape and movement are not described here. Use a reputable video dictionary and a fluent signer as your references for the sign itself.