How to Sign "Start" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the sign commonly used for "start" is the same sign used for "begin." Hold one hand open as a base. Place the tip of the index finger of your other hand between the index and middle fingers of the base hand. Then twist the index hand, like turning a key in a lock.

This guide covers ASL because it is the sign language most used in the US. Sign languages are not universal. British Sign Language, Russian Sign Language and others have their own signs for "start," and those signs are not described here. If you need the sign for a specific country, check a dictionary or a Deaf instructor for that language.

Step by step: the ASL sign for START

• 1. Choose your dominant hand, the one you write with. It will do the moving part of the sign.
• 2. Hold your other hand in front of your chest with the fingers together and extended. This is the base hand, and it stays still.
• 3. Point the index finger of your dominant hand and curl the other fingers into a loose fist.
• 4. Slide the tip of that index finger into the gap between the index and middle fingers of the base hand.
• 5. Twist your dominant hand at the wrist with a short turning motion, as if you were turning a key.
• 6. Keep the movement small and controlled. One twist is enough.

Written descriptions of signs cannot fully show hand orientation or movement. Before you rely on this sign, compare your version with a video from a reputable ASL dictionary or with a Deaf signer or certified instructor. Regional and personal variations exist, and no source supplied for this guide confirms one exact palm orientation.

When "start" means something else

The sign above covers "start" in the sense of "begin": starting a meeting, a class or a task. Other meanings, such as starting a car or a machine, may be signed differently or acted out based on context. The evidence for this guide does not cover those meanings, so ask a fluent signer if you need one of them.

Fingerspelling as a fallback

If you are unsure of the sign, you can fingerspell the English word letter by letter using the ASL manual alphabet: S-T-A-R-T. Fingerspelling is slower and is usually used for names and terms without an established sign. It can still help you be understood while you learn the sign.

Checking your signing on camera

If you will use the sign on a video call, record a short test first. A camera can be detected by your computer, and the browser or app can have permission to use it, but the picture can still be unclear. Check each of these separately.

• Access: confirm that your operating system and browser or call app have permission to use the camera.
• Capture: open the camera preview or a recording app and confirm a live image appears.
• Framing: sit far enough back that your hands, chest and face are all in view. The base hand and the twisting motion both need to be visible.
• Lighting: light your face and hands from the front. A bright window behind you can darken your hands.
• Background: a plain physical background makes hand shapes easier to read. Virtual backgrounds and blur effects can cut off or smear fast-moving fingers, so test with any effect turned off before you rely on it.
• Playback: watch the recording and check whether the finger placement and the twist are clearly visible.

A clear preview on your screen does not guarantee the other person sees the same quality. If the motion looks blurry to them, slow the twist slightly and ask whether they can read it.

What this guide cannot confirm

No verified source material was supplied for this topic. The sign description reflects the commonly taught ASL form of START/BEGIN, and has not been checked against a specific dictionary entry. For learning, for work or for communicating with Deaf colleagues, confirm the sign with a qualified ASL resource or a Deaf instructor.