To sign 'how are you today', start with the sign for 'how': form curved hands with your fingers pointing down and knuckles touching, then roll them outward so your palms face up. Next, point your index finger forward to sign 'you'. Finally, sign 'today' by forming 'Y' handshapes with both hands, palms facing up, and bouncing them downward twice. Remember to furrow your eyebrows slightly at the beginning, as 'how' is a question word.
Use this full phrase when greeting a friend or colleague you haven't seen yet that day. Sign 'how', point to them for 'you', and finish with the bouncing 'Y' hands for 'today'.
This is a great way to check in on someone's current well-being. Emphasize the 'today' sign to contrast with how they felt in the past.
Combine this phrase with a friendly greeting. Even though 'how' usually requires furrowed eyebrows, keep your overall facial expression warm and welcoming.
Use this full phrase when greeting a friend or colleague you haven't seen yet that day. Sign 'how', point to them for 'you', and finish with the bouncing 'Y' hands for 'today'.
This is a great way to check in on someone's current well-being. Emphasize the 'today' sign to contrast with how they felt in the past.
Combine this phrase with a friendly greeting. Even though 'how' usually requires furrowed eyebrows, keep your overall facial expression warm and welcoming.
Not at all! You can simply sign 'how' and 'you' for a standard 'how are you?' Adding 'today' just makes the greeting more specific to the current day.
In ASL, furrowed eyebrows are the grammatical marker for 'wh-questions' (who, what, where, when, why, how). It signals to the other person that you are asking a question that requires more than a yes or no answer.
While 'you' is signed with one hand, 'how' and 'today' are traditionally two-handed signs. Using both hands makes your signing clearer and more standard, especially for beginners.
