To sign "um," hold your dominant hand up near your chest or shoulder with an open "5" handshape, fingers spread apart. Your palm should be facing forward or slightly angled down. Gently wiggle your fingers while holding the hand in place. Be sure to pair this with a thoughtful or hesitant facial expression.
Start with the "um" sign by gently wiggling your fingers with a thinking face, then sign "not sure" while shaking your head slightly to convey uncertainty.
After asking the question, use the "um" sign to show a brief pause as you recall the information, then confidently sign the time.
Sign "buy," then pause and use the "um" sign to show you are deciding on the quantity before finishing the sentence with "three apples."
Start with the "um" sign by gently wiggling your fingers with a thinking face, then sign "not sure" while shaking your head slightly to convey uncertainty.
After asking the question, use the "um" sign to show a brief pause as you recall the information, then confidently sign the time.
Sign "buy," then pause and use the "um" sign to show you are deciding on the quantity before finishing the sentence with "three apples."
No, you don't always need to use a manual sign for "um." Often, ASL signers simply pause their signing and use a thinking facial expression, like breaking eye contact and looking up, to show hesitation naturally.
It is similar because both use wiggling fingers, but "colors" is signed by wiggling the fingers directly against your chin. "Um" is signed out in the neutral space near your chest or shoulder.
Typically, "um" is signed with just your dominant hand. Using two hands might look overly dramatic or confusing, so it is best to stick to a relaxed, one-handed sign to convey simple hesitation.
