How to Sign "Parents"
To sign “Parents”, Using your dominant hand into “five” handshape and placing your thumb tip on your chin and move up to your forehead. On the chin, signing for “mother” and on the forehead, signing for “father”
Examples Using "Parents" in a Sentence
1
My parents are coming to visit.
Sign 'MY' by placing a flat hand on your chest, then sign 'PARENTS' by tapping your thumb on your chin and moving it to your forehead. Finish with the signs for 'COME' and 'VISIT'.
2
Do your parents know sign language?
Point to the person for 'YOUR', sign 'PARENTS' using the chin-to-forehead motion with the 5-handshape, then sign 'KNOW' and 'SIGN'. Remember to raise your eyebrows to indicate a yes/no question.
3
I live with my parents.
Point to yourself for 'I', sign 'LIVE', 'WITH', 'MY', and finish with the 'PARENTS' sign, making sure your thumb clearly touches both the chin and the forehead.
How to Sign "Parents"
To sign “Parents”, Using your dominant hand into “five” handshape and placing your thumb tip on your chin and move up to your forehead. On the chin, signing for “mother” and on the forehead, signing for “father”
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for 'parents' is a classic example of a compound sign in ASL. It combines the location for female signs (the lower half of the face, specifically the chin for 'mother') with the location for male signs (the upper half of the face, specifically the forehead for 'father'). By linking these two locations in one fluid motion, it visually represents both mother and father together.
Signing Tips
When signing 'parents', keep your fingers spread open in the '5' handshape throughout the entire movement. The motion should be a smooth, continuous glide from the chin to the forehead. You do not need to tap forcefully; a light, gentle touch of the thumb on each location is perfect.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake beginners make is closing their fingers or changing the handshape as they move from the chin to the forehead. Keep those fingers spread wide! Another frequent error is tapping multiple times on the chin before moving up, which can confuse the sign with just 'mother'.
Regional Variations
A very common variation across North America is to reverse the order, tapping the forehead first (father) and then the chin (mother). Both variations are widely accepted and understood.
Examples Using "Parents" in a Sentence
1My parents are coming to visit.
Sign 'MY' by placing a flat hand on your chest, then sign 'PARENTS' by tapping your thumb on your chin and moving it to your forehead. Finish with the signs for 'COME' and 'VISIT'.
2Do your parents know sign language?
Point to the person for 'YOUR', sign 'PARENTS' using the chin-to-forehead motion with the 5-handshape, then sign 'KNOW' and 'SIGN'. Remember to raise your eyebrows to indicate a yes/no question.
3I live with my parents.
Point to yourself for 'I', sign 'LIVE', 'WITH', 'MY', and finish with the 'PARENTS' sign, making sure your thumb clearly touches both the chin and the forehead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter which hand I use to sign 'parents'?
You should use your dominant hand. If you are right-handed, use your right hand's thumb to tap your chin and then your forehead. Keep your non-dominant hand relaxed at your side.
Can I start at the forehead instead of the chin?
While starting at the forehead (father) and moving to the chin (mother) is a widely recognized variation, the version taught here starts at the chin. It is best to practice the chin-to-forehead motion first to build muscle memory for this specific variation.
Do I need to tap multiple times on each spot?
No, a single tap on the chin followed by a single tap on the forehead is all you need. Tapping multiple times on the chin alone would mean 'mother', so a single smooth transition works best for 'parents'.
ASL is a beautiful, expressive language. Practice regularly and have fun!