How to Sign "And"
Take your dominant hand in an open 5 handshape palm facing to the side and then you pull your hand back into a flattened “o” handshape.
Examples Using "And" in a Sentence
1
I want apples and bananas.
Sign 'apple', then use the pulling motion of 'and' to gather the concepts together before signing 'banana'.
2
My mom and dad are here.
Sign 'mom', perform the open 5 to flattened 'o' motion for 'and', then sign 'dad' to connect the two subjects.
3
Do you like cats and dogs?
After signing 'cat', use the 'and' sign to connect the next animal, finishing with 'dog' while raising your eyebrows to indicate a question.
How to Sign "And"
Take your dominant hand in an open 5 handshape palm facing to the side and then you pull your hand back into a flattened “o” handshape.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The visual logic of this sign is highly iconic. The open hand closing into a flattened 'o' while pulling across the body mimics the physical action of gathering multiple items together into one group, perfectly representing the concept of addition.
Signing Tips
Focus on the smooth transition from the open 5 handshape to the flattened 'o'. The movement should be a fluid, horizontal pull across your signing space, almost like you are grabbing something out of the air. Keep your palm facing sideways throughout the entire motion.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is pulling the hand straight back toward the chest instead of across the signing space. Another frequent error is closing the hand into a tight fist rather than a flattened 'o' where the fingertips meet the thumb.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "And" in a Sentence
1I want apples and bananas.
Sign 'apple', then use the pulling motion of 'and' to gather the concepts together before signing 'banana'.
2My mom and dad are here.
Sign 'mom', perform the open 5 to flattened 'o' motion for 'and', then sign 'dad' to connect the two subjects.
3Do you like cats and dogs?
After signing 'cat', use the 'and' sign to connect the next animal, finishing with 'dog' while raising your eyebrows to indicate a question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I always need to use the sign for 'and' in ASL?
Actually, no! While this sign is great for beginners, fluent ASL users often skip the word 'and' entirely. Instead, they use a slight pause, a shoulder shift, or point to different spaces to list items.
Which direction should I pull my hand?
You should pull your dominant hand horizontally across your body toward your dominant side. If you are right-handed, pull from the left side of your signing space over to the right.
Should my palm face me or the person I am signing to?
Neither! Your palm should face to the side. For a right-handed signer, the palm of the open 5 handshape will face to the left before closing into the flattened 'o'.
ASL is a beautiful, expressive language. Practice regularly and have fun!