To sign 'ill', form both hands into an open '5' shape with your middle fingers bent inward. Touch the bent middle finger of your dominant hand to your forehead, and the bent middle finger of your non-dominant hand to your stomach. Hold this position briefly while showing a slightly pained or tired facial expression.
Sign 'I', then 'feel', then 'ill' by placing your bent middle fingers on your forehead and stomach. Be sure to add a tired or pained facial expression to match the meaning.
Point to the person to sign 'you', then sign 'ill'. Since this is a yes/no question, remember to raise your eyebrows and lean your head forward slightly as you sign.
Sign 'he', 'ill', 'school', and 'go'. Emphasize the sign for 'ill' with a strong facial expression to show the severity of the sickness preventing him from attending.
Sign 'I', then 'feel', then 'ill' by placing your bent middle fingers on your forehead and stomach. Be sure to add a tired or pained facial expression to match the meaning.
Point to the person to sign 'you', then sign 'ill'. Since this is a yes/no question, remember to raise your eyebrows and lean your head forward slightly as you sign.
Sign 'he', 'ill', 'school', and 'go'. Emphasize the sign for 'ill' with a strong facial expression to show the severity of the sickness preventing him from attending.
Yes, 'ill' and 'sick' use the exact same sign in ASL. You can use this bent-middle-finger sign on the head and stomach for both English words, relying on context to translate it.
While the formal, standard sign uses both hands, in casual, fast-paced conversation, you might see someone use only their dominant hand on their forehead to mean 'ill'. However, beginners should practice the two-handed version first.
If your illness is localized, you can modify your signs. For a stomachache, you might just sign 'hurt' near your stomach or use the 'ill' handshape only on your stomach, rather than doing the full two-handed sign.
