How to sign
Caption in ASL
Caption is the ASL sign for caption, filed under Deaf World Basics. Watch the clip, then sign it along with the video.
- Single sign
- Deaf World Basics
How to sign caption
- 1
Watch the clip once at full speed, then once at half speed. Notice the handshape, where the sign sits, and the direction the hand moves.
- 2
Sign caption along with the video. Keep your hand where the signer keeps it; moving a sign up, down, or off to the side can change its meaning.
- 3
Add the face. Even a plain vocabulary sign reads better with natural eye contact and an expression that matches the context.
Common mistakes
- Mouthing the full English sentence while you sign. Mouth the ASL gloss or keep your lips relaxed; ASL is its own language, not English on the hands.
- Signing too low or too far from the body. Keep your signing space between your chest and your chin where it is easy to see.
Keep going
More deaf world basics signs
Questions about “Caption”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for caption. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional variation, so you may see small differences from signer to signer.
Guide
Deaf Culture
What every hearing beginner should know before their first signed conversation: Deaf with a capital D, name signs, eye contact, interpreters, and the signs for all of it.
From the blog
How Long Does It Take to Learn ASL? An Honest Timeline
What you can realistically sign after one week, one month, six months, and two years of ASL, and the daily habits that move you between those stages faster.