To sign "instead," form "F" handshapes with both hands by touching the tips of your index fingers and thumbs together while keeping your other fingers extended. Hold both hands in front of your body, with your non-dominant hand slightly further out. Move your dominant hand forward in a slight arc over your non-dominant hand while simultaneously pulling your non-dominant hand closer to your body, effectively swapping their positions.
Sign "water," then use the sign for "instead," followed by "soda." The physical swapping motion of the hands perfectly emphasizes the replacement of one drink choice with another.
Sign "go" and "tomorrow," then finish the sentence with "instead" to show you are swapping your current plan for a brand new one.
Sign "apple," then "instead," making sure to use raised eyebrows at the end of the sentence to indicate that you are asking a yes/no question.
Sign "water," then use the sign for "instead," followed by "soda." The physical swapping motion of the hands perfectly emphasizes the replacement of one drink choice with another.
Sign "go" and "tomorrow," then finish the sentence with "instead" to show you are swapping your current plan for a brand new one.
Sign "apple," then "instead," making sure to use raised eyebrows at the end of the sentence to indicate that you are asking a yes/no question.
Yes, the sign for "instead" is the exact same sign used for words like "trade," "exchange," or "replace." The context of your sentence will make it clear to the person you are signing with which English concept you mean.
Yes, typically your dominant hand starts closer to your body and moves forward, while your non-dominant hand starts slightly further out and moves backward toward you. This creates a natural, comfortable swapping motion.
Absolutely! Since the sign visually represents swapping one thing for another, it works perfectly for concepts like "substitute," "replace," or "instead." It is a very versatile sign for any situation involving an exchange.
