Sign Language for “Meeting”: How to Sign It in ASL

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign most commonly taught for “meeting” as an event, such as a work meeting or a group gathering, uses both hands. Each hand starts with the fingers spread, the hands face each other, and the fingers point up. You then bring the hands together and close the fingers so the fingertips of each hand touch. This sign is usually repeated twice. The movement suggests many people coming together in one place.

• 1. Hold both hands in front of your chest with the fingers spread and pointing up and the palms facing each other.
• 2. Move the hands toward each other.
• 3. As they move, close each hand so its fingertips come together in a flat pinched shape.
• 4. Open the hands slightly and repeat the closing motion once more.

“Meeting” versus “meet”

The noun and the verb usually have different signs, so it matters which one you need. To say “meet,” as in meeting a person (“nice to meet you”), ASL commonly uses one index finger on each hand. Point both fingers up with the palms facing each other, then bring the hands together until they touch. The two fingers represent two people meeting. If you mean a scheduled gathering, use the two-handed “meeting” sign described above instead.

Which sign language this applies to

This guide describes ASL, which is used in the United States and parts of Canada. Sign languages are not universal. British Sign Language, Russian Sign Language and other national sign languages have their own vocabularies, and the sign for “meeting” in one may look nothing like the sign in another. ASL can also vary by region and community. If you are communicating with a particular person or group, it is worth asking which sign they use.

Limits of a written description

Text cannot fully capture a sign's speed, rhythm, hand position or facial expression, and no video reference was supplied for this guide. To confirm your form, compare it with a video from an established ASL dictionary or ask a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor.

Checking that the sign reads clearly on camera

If you plan to use the sign on a video call, a quick self-check can help. Granting a browser or app permission to use the camera only means the camera can be opened. It does not guarantee that the picture is captured correctly or that your hands are easy to see. A short test recording, or the camera preview in your call app, shows what others will actually see.

• Framing: keep the space from roughly the top of your head to your waist in view, because this sign is made in front of the chest and the hands must not leave the frame.
• Lighting: light your face and hands from the front so the closing finger shape is visible rather than lost in shadow.
• Contrast: a plain physical background and clothing that differs in color from your skin tone make hand shapes easier to read.
• Virtual effects: background blur and virtual backgrounds work by separating you from the scene, and they can smear or cut off fast-moving hands. If your fingers look blurred or partly erased in the preview, turn the effect off and use a tidy physical background instead.
• Motion: if the image is choppy, the repeated closing movement may be hard to follow. Signing at a steady pace and checking your connection can help.

After recording, play the clip back and confirm three things. Both hands should stay fully in frame. The fingertips should visibly come together. The movement should repeat clearly. If any of these is unclear, adjust your framing or lighting and record again.