Either hand can be used. Raise the hand to a comfortable height and with all other fingers extended, connect the tip of the index finger with the tip of the thumb. "Nine" can also be tapped on the top of the opposite wrist to say "7 o'clock" or brought down from the chin to say "9 years old."
Sign 'nine' by holding up your dominant hand with your palm facing outward, connecting the tips of your index finger and thumb, before signing 'apples'.
To sign 'nine years old', form the 'nine' handshape and bring it down from your chin. This smoothly combines the number with the sign for 'age'.
Form the 'nine' handshape and gently tap it on the top of your opposite wrist. This placement indicates that the number refers to a specific time on a clock.
Sign 'nine' by holding up your dominant hand with your palm facing outward, connecting the tips of your index finger and thumb, before signing 'apples'.
To sign 'nine years old', form the 'nine' handshape and bring it down from your chin. This smoothly combines the number with the sign for 'age'.
Form the 'nine' handshape and gently tap it on the top of your opposite wrist. This placement indicates that the number refers to a specific time on a clock.
Think of the numbers six through nine as a sequence moving from the outside of your hand inward. Six starts with the pinky, seven is the ring finger, eight is the middle finger, and nine is the index finger touching the thumb.
Yes, the handshape for 'nine' is identical to the letter 'F' in the ASL alphabet! Context is key here. If you are signing about a quantity, age, or time, the viewer will naturally understand it as the number 'nine'.
Your palm should face outward, toward the person you are communicating with. This is the standard orientation for the numbers six through nine in American Sign Language.
