How to Sign "Bought"
To sign 'bought', you will combine the signs for 'buy' and 'finish' to indicate the action happened in the past. First, hold your non-dominant hand flat with the palm facing up. Form your dominant hand into a flattened 'O' shape, tap the back of your fingers against your non-dominant palm, and move it forward as if handing money to someone. Then, sign 'finish' by holding both open hands in front of you with palms facing in, and quickly flicking your wrists so your palms face outward.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for 'buy' is highly iconic, representing the physical action of taking money from your hand (the non-dominant palm acting as a wallet or holding hand) and giving it to someone else. The sign 'finish' visually represents brushing something away or being done with it, effectively communicating that the buying action is complete.
Signing Tips
When signing 'bought', the transition between 'buy' and 'finish' should be smooth. The sign 'finish' is a common way in ASL to show that an action is completed, which translates to the past tense in English. Make sure the forward motion of 'buy' flows naturally into the starting position of 'finish'.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is trying to invent a specific past-tense suffix sign or just signing 'buy' without indicating the past. Remember that ASL uses time markers or completion signs like 'finish' to establish tense. Also, ensure your dominant hand in 'buy' moves forward, not backward, to correctly mimic the exchange of money.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Bought" in a Sentence
1I bought a new car.
Sign 'I', then 'buy' and 'finish' to show the action is complete, followed by 'new' and 'car'.
2She bought groceries yesterday.
Start with 'yesterday' to establish the timeline, point to 'she', sign 'buy finish', and then 'groceries'.
3Have you bought the tickets?
Sign 'tickets', point to 'you', sign 'buy finish', and raise your eyebrows to ask a yes/no question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to sign 'finish' for 'bought'?
ASL doesn't use word endings like '-ed' or change the spelling of verbs to show past tense. Instead, it uses time markers or signs like 'finish' to indicate that an action is completed. Signing 'buy' followed by 'finish' clearly shows the purchase has already happened.
Can I just sign 'past' then 'buy'?
Yes! Another common way to say 'bought' is to establish the past tense first by signing 'past' (moving your dominant hand backward over your shoulder) and then signing 'buy'. Both 'buy finish' and 'past buy' are correct and widely understood.
Does the non-dominant hand move during the sign?
No, during the 'buy' portion of the sign, your non-dominant hand stays stationary as a base. It only moves when you transition into the 'finish' sign, where both hands move together to complete the phrase.
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