How to Sign "Want To" in Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the language most widely used by Deaf communities in the US, "want to" is usually expressed with one sign, WANT, followed by the sign for the action. ASL has no separate sign for the English "to" in this construction. "I want to eat" is signed roughly as: point to yourself, sign WANT, then sign EAT.

Sign languages are not universal. British Sign Language, Russian Sign Language and other national sign languages have their own signs for "want." If you need to communicate with someone outside the US, confirm which sign language they use before learning the sign. Everything below refers to ASL.

How to form the ASL sign WANT

• 1. Hold both hands in front of your body at about chest or stomach height, palms facing up.
• 2. Spread your fingers slightly and keep them relaxed and a little curved.
• 3. Pull both hands toward your body.
• 4. As you pull, bend your fingers further into a loose claw shape.
• 5. Match your facial expression to the meaning. A neutral face gives a plain statement. A stronger expression and a sharper movement show stronger desire.

Your facial expression carries part of the meaning in ASL. It is not decoration. Raised eyebrows with a slight forward lean turn the same signs into a yes/no question, such as "Do you want to eat?"

Building simple "want to" sentences

English | Typical ASL sign sequence

I want to eat. | ME (point to self) + WANT + EAT

Do you want to go? | YOU (point to the person) + WANT + GO, eyebrows raised

I don't want to. | ME + DON'T-WANT

DON'T-WANT is a separate sign. Do not simply add a negative sign to WANT. Start as if signing WANT, then turn your palms down and move your hands outward and down, away from your body. ASL word order is flexible, and fluent signers may arrange these sentences differently. Treat the sequences above as a basic starting point, not the only correct form.

Common mistakes

• Signing English word by word, including a sign for "to." This is not natural ASL.
• Using only one hand. WANT is normally a two-handed sign.
• Keeping the fingers stiff and straight. They should curve inward as the hands move toward you.
• Signing with a blank face when you mean to ask a question. Without raised eyebrows, the sentence can read as a statement.

Checking your signing on camera

A useful self-check is to record yourself and compare the result with a demonstration from a qualified ASL instructor or a reputable ASL dictionary. Video matters here because a written description cannot fully show movement, timing and facial expression.

• Framing: keep your face and the space from the top of your head to your waist in view, with some room at the sides so your hands do not leave the frame as they move.
• 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 and clothing makes handshapes easier to read.
• Virtual backgrounds and blur: these call effects can cut off or smear fast-moving fingers. If your hands look patchy in the preview, turn the effect off and use a plain real background instead.
• Playback: watch the recording at normal speed. Check whether the curled fingers and the inward pull of WANT are clearly visible.

These are separate stages, and passing one does not prove the next. Your browser or operating system can grant camera access while the picture still fails to appear. A clear local recording also does not guarantee clear video for the other person, because a weak connection can lower resolution or drop frames during fast hand movements. If you are signing on a live call, ask the other person to confirm they can see your hands clearly.

Limits of this guide

This guide describes the common ASL form of WANT. It cannot show the motion itself, and it does not cover regional or personal variation among signers. For accurate learning, especially if you will be communicating with Deaf people regularly, check the sign against a video demonstration from a Deaf or certified ASL instructor. Feedback from fluent signers is the most reliable way to confirm that your signing is understood.