How to Sign "Dollar"

To sign dollar, hold your non-dominant hand flat in front of you with the palm facing inward. Take your dominant hand and grasp the top edge or fingers of your non-dominant hand. Pull your dominant hand outward, sliding it off the non-dominant hand as if you are pulling or flattening a dollar bill.

Examples Using "Dollar" in a Sentence

1

That costs one dollar.

Sign 'one' and then immediately sign 'dollar' by grasping the fingers of your non-dominant hand and sliding your dominant hand outward.

2

Can I borrow a dollar?

Point to yourself, sign 'borrow', and then perform the sign for 'dollar', finishing with an inquisitive facial expression and raised eyebrows to indicate a question.

3

I only have five dollars.

Sign 'I', 'have', 'five', and then perform the 'dollar' sign. The sign for dollar does not change for plural amounts, so you only need to sign it once.

How to Sign "Dollar"
To sign dollar, hold your non-dominant hand flat in front of you with the palm facing inward. Take your dominant hand and grasp the top edge or fingers of your non-dominant hand. Pull your dominant hand outward, sliding it off the non-dominant hand as if you are pulling or flattening a dollar bill.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for dollar is highly visual and grounded in the physical action of handling money. The flat non-dominant hand represents a stack of cash, a wallet, or the base of a bill. The dominant hand mimics the exact action of grabbing a single piece of paper currency and pulling it out. This sliding motion perfectly captures the physical shape and feel of handling a paper dollar bill.
Signing Tips
When practicing the sign for dollar, focus on keeping your non-dominant hand completely still. Only your dominant hand should do the moving. The motion should be a smooth, single pull outward. Think of the memory hint: it looks just like you are grasping a crisp dollar bill and flattening it out to slide into a vending machine. Make sure you actually make contact with your base hand before sliding off!
Common Mistakes
A common mistake beginners make is moving both hands apart at the same time. Remember that your non-dominant hand must act as a stationary base. Another frequent error is simply hovering the dominant hand over the base hand without making contact. Your dominant hand needs to physically grasp and slide off the fingers of the non-dominant hand to clearly convey the idea of pulling a paper bill.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Dollar" in a Sentence
1

That costs one dollar.

Sign 'one' and then immediately sign 'dollar' by grasping the fingers of your non-dominant hand and sliding your dominant hand outward.

2

Can I borrow a dollar?

Point to yourself, sign 'borrow', and then perform the sign for 'dollar', finishing with an inquisitive facial expression and raised eyebrows to indicate a question.

3

I only have five dollars.

Sign 'I', 'have', 'five', and then perform the 'dollar' sign. The sign for dollar does not change for plural amounts, so you only need to sign it once.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign 'dollar' multiple times for plural amounts?

No, the sign for 'dollar' remains exactly the same whether you are talking about one dollar or twenty dollars. You simply sign the number first, followed by the standard sign for 'dollar'.

Can I use this sign for coins or cents?

No, this sign is specifically used for paper money or the concept of a dollar. There is a completely different sign for 'cents', which involves touching your forehead and pulling your index finger away.

Does it matter which hand I use to pull?

You should always use your dominant hand to do the pulling motion, while your non-dominant hand stays stationary as the base. If you are left-handed, your left hand will grab and pull away from your right hand.

ASL is a beautiful, expressive language. Practice regularly and have fun!