Lessons
PocketSign
PocketSign

How to Sign "Llama"

To sign llama, hold your dominant hand up near your shoulder with your palm facing forward. Extend your index and pinky fingers straight up to represent the llama's tall ears. Bring your middle and ring fingers forward to touch the tip of your thumb, forming the animal's snout. Finally, tap your middle and ring fingers against your thumb a couple of times, mimicking a llama chewing its food.

Examples Using "Llama" in a Sentence

1

I saw a llama at the farm.

To sign this, you would set up the location by signing 'farm', then sign 'llama'. You can point to where the llama is in your signing space to make the sentence more visual.

2

Llamas have very soft fur.

Sign 'llama', then use the sign for 'soft' by gently pulsing your hands open and closed. You can follow this with the sign for 'fur' or 'hair' to complete the description.

3

Be careful, that llama might spit!

After signing 'llama', you can use a classifier or the sign for 'spit' moving away from your mouth. Make sure your facial expression shows a warning or surprise to match the tone!

How to Sign "Llama"
To sign llama, hold your dominant hand up near your shoulder with your palm facing forward. Extend your index and pinky fingers straight up to represent the llama's tall ears. Bring your middle and ring fingers forward to touch the tip of your thumb, forming the animal's snout. Finally, tap your middle and ring fingers against your thumb a couple of times, mimicking a llama chewing its food.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for llama is a wonderful example of an iconic sign in ASL, meaning it visually looks like what it represents. Your upright index and pinky fingers perfectly mimic the tall, straight ears of a llama. Meanwhile, your thumb, middle, and ring fingers come together to form the snout, with the tapping motion imitating the animal's constant, rhythmic chewing.
Signing Tips
When signing llama, focus on keeping your index and pinky fingers straight and still to clearly show the ears. The movement should only come from your middle and ring fingers tapping against your thumb. Try to keep your wrist and arm relaxed but stationary, letting the 'mouth' do all the work to create a clear, recognizable animal.
Common Mistakes
A frequent mistake beginners make is curling their middle and ring fingers all the way down into their palm, which accidentally creates the 'I Love You' handshape. Remember that for llama, your middle and ring fingers need to extend outward to meet your thumb, creating a visible snout that can open and close.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Llama" in a Sentence
1

I saw a llama at the farm.

To sign this, you would set up the location by signing 'farm', then sign 'llama'. You can point to where the llama is in your signing space to make the sentence more visual.

2

Llamas have very soft fur.

Sign 'llama', then use the sign for 'soft' by gently pulsing your hands open and closed. You can follow this with the sign for 'fur' or 'hair' to complete the description.

3

Be careful, that llama might spit!

After signing 'llama', you can use a classifier or the sign for 'spit' moving away from your mouth. Make sure your facial expression shows a warning or surprise to match the tone!

Frequently Asked Questions
Is the sign for llama the same as the 'I Love You' sign?

No, though they look similar! In the 'I Love You' sign, the middle and ring fingers are curled tightly into the palm. For llama, those fingers extend forward to touch the thumb, forming a mouth that opens and closes.

Do I use one hand or two hands to sign llama?

You only need to use one hand to sign llama. Simply raise your dominant hand comfortably in front of your shoulder, facing forward, and make the chewing motion with your fingers.

Can I use this sign for an alpaca too?

While alpacas and llamas are different animals, many signers use the llama sign for both in casual conversation since they look so similar. If the exact animal species is important, you should fingerspell A-L-P-A-C-A.

ASL is a beautiful, expressive language. Practice regularly and have fun!