To sign eighteen, form an '8' handshape with your dominant hand by touching your middle finger to your thumb while keeping your index, ring, and pinky fingers extended. Hold your hand up near your shoulder with your palm facing toward you. Quickly twist your wrist outward twice so that your palm faces forward.
Sign 'I' and 'AGE' (pulling an 'O' handshape down from your chin), followed by the sign for 'eighteen'.
Sign 'CLASS', 'HAVE', 'eighteen', and then 'STUDENT' to explain the number of people in the room.
Sign 'MY', 'SISTER', 'AGE', and 'eighteen'. You can emphasize the milestone with a positive facial expression.
Sign 'I' and 'AGE' (pulling an 'O' handshape down from your chin), followed by the sign for 'eighteen'.
Sign 'CLASS', 'HAVE', 'eighteen', and then 'STUDENT' to explain the number of people in the room.
Sign 'MY', 'SISTER', 'AGE', and 'eighteen'. You can emphasize the milestone with a positive facial expression.
For clarity, especially as a beginner, you should twist your wrist twice. In very fast, casual signing, you might see fluent signers use a single twist, but two twists is the standard and most easily understood method.
Start with your palm facing toward your body. As you execute the two quick twists, your wrist will turn so that your palm faces outward or forward by the end of the motion.
When discussing age, you can sign 'AGE' followed by 'eighteen'. Alternatively, some signers blend them by starting the '18' handshape at the chin and twisting it as they pull it away. Both ways are perfectly acceptable!
