To sign "pen," hold your non-dominant hand flat with the palm facing up, representing a piece of paper. With your dominant hand, pinch your index finger and thumb together as if holding a pen. Bring your dominant hand up to your mouth as if licking the tip, then bring it down to your non-dominant palm and make a quick writing motion.
Sign "you," "have," and then the sign for "pen." Remember to raise your eyebrows at the end of the sentence to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign "I," "need," "blue," and finish with the sign for "pen." Make sure to use the licking motion before writing on your palm to clearly distinguish it from the verb "write."
Sign "my," "pen," and then "broken." The contrast between the smooth writing motion of "pen" and the sharp, snapping motion of "broken" makes this sentence visually dynamic and clear.
Sign "you," "have," and then the sign for "pen." Remember to raise your eyebrows at the end of the sentence to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign "I," "need," "blue," and finish with the sign for "pen." Make sure to use the licking motion before writing on your palm to clearly distinguish it from the verb "write."
Sign "my," "pen," and then "broken." The contrast between the smooth writing motion of "pen" and the sharp, snapping motion of "broken" makes this sentence visually dynamic and clear.
The sign for 'write' only involves the scribbling motion on the palm of your non-dominant hand. To sign 'pen,' you must include the initial motion of bringing your pinched fingers to your mouth before writing.
Yes! Because 'pen' is a short, three-letter word, quickly fingerspelling it is very common and completely acceptable in everyday ASL conversation. It is highly beneficial to recognize both the formal sign and the fingerspelled version.
It doesn't have to make physical contact. Bringing your pinched fingers very close to your lips is perfectly fine and often preferred for hygiene, as long as the visual intention of the 'licking' motion is clear.
