How to Sign "Travel"

Form your dominant hand into a bent 'V' shape, with your index and middle fingers curved and your palm facing down. Start with your hand in front of your body and move it forward and slightly outward in a wavy, sweeping motion. The movement should look like you are tracing a winding path or a journey over hills.

Examples Using "Travel" in a Sentence

1

I love to travel during the summer.

Sign 'I' and 'love', then use the sweeping bent 'V' motion for 'travel', followed by the sign for 'summer'.

2

Are you traveling to New York?

Point to the person for 'you', sign 'travel' moving outward, then sign 'New York', keeping your eyebrows raised the entire time to indicate a yes/no question.

3

We traveled all over Europe.

Sign 'we', then sign 'travel' using a larger, more exaggerated wavy motion to emphasize the extent of the journey, followed by 'Europe'.

How to Sign "Travel"
Form your dominant hand into a bent 'V' shape, with your index and middle fingers curved and your palm facing down. Start with your hand in front of your body and move it forward and slightly outward in a wavy, sweeping motion. The movement should look like you are tracing a winding path or a journey over hills.
Visual Logic(Etymology)
The sign for 'travel' is highly iconic and visual. The bent 'V' handshape is often used in ASL as a classifier to represent a person sitting or an entity in motion. The wavy, forward motion visually traces the winding roads, hills, or general journey one takes when traveling from place to place.
Signing Tips
Keep your wrist relaxed as you make the wavy motion for 'travel.' The bent 'V' handshape should be clear, with the index and middle fingers distinctly curved. You can adjust the size of the sweeping motion to show how far or extensive the travel is—a bigger, longer wave implies a longer or more involved journey.
Common Mistakes
A frequent mistake is using a straight 'V' handshape instead of a bent 'V', which can accidentally look like the sign for 'see' or 'look' moving around. Another common error is making the movement too stiff; the motion should be fluid and wavy, representing a journey, rather than a rigid straight line.
Regional Variations
This sign is widely used and understood across the ASL community with minimal regional variation.
Examples Using "Travel" in a Sentence
1

I love to travel during the summer.

Sign 'I' and 'love', then use the sweeping bent 'V' motion for 'travel', followed by the sign for 'summer'.

2

Are you traveling to New York?

Point to the person for 'you', sign 'travel' moving outward, then sign 'New York', keeping your eyebrows raised the entire time to indicate a yes/no question.

3

We traveled all over Europe.

Sign 'we', then sign 'travel' using a larger, more exaggerated wavy motion to emphasize the extent of the journey, followed by 'Europe'.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this sign for 'trip' or 'journey'?

Yes, this sign is versatile and can be used to mean 'travel,' 'trip,' 'journey,' or 'tour.' The context of your sentence will make the specific English translation clear to the person you are signing with.

Does it matter which hand I use?

You should use your dominant hand to perform the sign for 'travel.' If you are right-handed, use your right hand; if left-handed, use your left. Keep your non-dominant hand relaxed at your side.

How do I show that I traveled a very long distance?

You can modify the sign by making the wavy motion larger, extending your arm further outward, and using facial expressions (like slightly puffed cheeks or squinted eyes) to emphasize the great distance and effort of the trip.

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