American Sign Language (ASL) Manual Alphabet, A to Z

The American Sign Language manual alphabet lets you spell out any word letter by letter using your hands. Here is how to form each handshape from A to Z.

Letter A

Make a fist and rest your thumb against the side of your fingers.

Letter B

Hold your four fingers straight up and together, with your thumb folded across your palm.

Letter C

Curve your fingers and thumb together to form the shape of the letter C.

Letter D

Point your index finger straight up while touching the tips of your other fingers to your thumb.

Letter E

Curl all four fingers down so their tips line up neatly against your thumb.

Letter F

Touch your thumb and index fingertips together to form a small circle, keeping the other three fingers straight.

Letter G

Point your index finger and thumb sideways, slightly apart, with your whole hand turned to the side.

Letter H

Hold your index and middle fingers together and straight, then turn your hand sideways.

Letter I

Make a fist with only your pinky finger raised straight up.

Letter J

Starting from the "I" handshape, trace the letter J in the air with your pinky.

Letter K

Raise your index and middle fingers into a V, resting your thumb between them and pointing up.

Letter L

Extend your index finger straight up and your thumb out to the side, forming an L shape.

Letter M

Tuck your thumb underneath your index, middle, and ring fingers.

Letter N

Tuck your thumb underneath your index and middle fingers.

Letter O

Curve all your fingers and thumb together into a circle, forming the shape of the letter O.

Letter P

Make the "K" handshape and turn it to point downward.

Letter Q

Make the "G" handshape and turn it to point downward.

Letter R

Cross your index and middle fingers while folding the rest of your hand into a fist.

Letter S

Make a fist with your thumb resting across the front of your fingers.

Letter T

Make a fist and tuck your thumb lightly between your index and middle fingers.

Letter U

Hold your index and middle fingers together, straight, and pointing up.

Letter V

Spread your index and middle fingers apart to form a V.

Letter W

Spread your index, middle, and ring fingers apart while your thumb holds down your pinky.

Letter X

Curl your index finger into a hook shape while keeping the rest of your hand in a fist.

Letter Y

Extend only your thumb and pinky finger while folding the rest down, like a "call me" gesture.

Letter Z

Extend your index finger and trace the letter Z in the air.

What is fingerspelling?

Fingerspelling is a way of representing each letter of the alphabet with a handshape, used to spell out names, proper nouns, or words that do not have an established sign. It is not unique to American Sign Language (ASL) — many national sign languages have their own manual alphabet system.

Is sign language a universal language?

No — contrary to a common misconception, sign language is not one universal language, but a distinct language in every country. The manual alphabet shown here is specific to American Sign Language (ASL), used in the US and some English-speaking regions. British Sign Language (BSL), for example, uses a completely different two-handed manual alphabet, even though the UK and the US share a spoken language.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are J and Z explained differently from the other letters?

Most letters use a single fixed handshape, but J and Z are the only two letters that involve tracing a moving shape in the air with your finger rather than holding a static position.

Can I learn accurate fingerspelling from text descriptions alone?

This page is a simple text-based reference. To get the exact handshape and hand orientation right, it helps to also watch video demonstrations or take a class alongside a guide like this.