Start by pointing to your chest with your thumb (using an 'A' handshape) to indicate 'I'. Next, cross your arms over your chest with both hands in closed fists to sign 'love'. To emphasize the word 'really', squeeze your arms tightly against your chest and ensure your facial expression shows sincere, intense emotion. The 'you' is implied by your eye contact.
Sign this phrase when expressing deep affection to a partner or family member. Make sure to squeeze your arms tightly and show genuine emotion on your face to convey the depth of your feelings.
Use this sign at the end of a heartfelt message. Emphasizing the 'love' sign with a firm squeeze shows your sincere appreciation and strong emotional connection to the person.
This is a wonderful way to say goodnight to a child or loved one. Use a gentle but firm squeeze on the 'love' sign while maintaining warm, loving eye contact before they go to sleep.
Sign this phrase when expressing deep affection to a partner or family member. Make sure to squeeze your arms tightly and show genuine emotion on your face to convey the depth of your feelings.
Use this sign at the end of a heartfelt message. Emphasizing the 'love' sign with a firm squeeze shows your sincere appreciation and strong emotional connection to the person.
This is a wonderful way to say goodnight to a child or loved one. Use a gentle but firm squeeze on the 'love' sign while maintaining warm, loving eye contact before they go to sleep.
In this specific variation, the word 'you' is implied by the context and your direct eye contact with the person you are addressing. Because you are looking right at them, you don't need to add a separate pointing sign for 'you'.
Yes, the single-handed 'ILY' sign (thumb, index, and pinky extended) is very popular. However, crossing your arms over your chest and squeezing tightly is much more effective for emphasizing the deep, emotional 'really love' aspect shown here.
Pointing to your chest with your thumb (using an 'A' handshape) is a very common and completely acceptable variation for 'I' or 'me' in ASL. It is often used in casual, fluid signing and feels natural before transitioning into the 'love' sign.
