To sign 'harder', begin with the sign for 'hard'. Form both hands into bent 'V' handshapes, and strike your dominant hand down onto the back of your non-dominant hand. Then, transition your dominant hand into an 'A' handshape (a fist with the thumb pointing straight up) and move it upward to indicate the '-er' suffix.
Establish the first test in your signing space, sign 'this test', and then use 'harder' to compare the two.
Sign 'I', 'must', 'work', and then emphasize the sign for 'harder' with a determined facial expression.
Sign 'puzzle', 'become', and then 'harder', perhaps furrowing your eyebrows to show the increasing difficulty.
Establish the first test in your signing space, sign 'this test', and then use 'harder' to compare the two.
Sign 'I', 'must', 'work', and then emphasize the sign for 'harder' with a determined facial expression.
Sign 'puzzle', 'become', and then 'harder', perhaps furrowing your eyebrows to show the increasing difficulty.
Yes, 'harder' is frequently used to mean 'more difficult' in ASL. While you can also sign 'more' followed by 'difficult', combining 'hard' with the '-er' suffix is a very natural and common way to express this idea.
The upward movement with the 'A' handshape (thumb pointing up) acts as the ASL suffix for '-er'. It visually represents taking the base word to a higher degree or level, just like adding '-er' does in English.
You don't need to strike hard enough to hurt yourself, but a firm, crisp tap helps convey the concept of 'hard' effectively. A weak tap might look unsure, so aim for a clear, confident contact between your hands.
