How to sign
Shorts in ASL
Shorts is the ASL sign for shorts, filed under Clothing. Watch the clip, then sign it along with the video.
- Single sign
- Clothing
How to sign shorts
- 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 shorts 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.
Use it in a sentence
English sentences you can sign with Shorts. In ASL the word order can shift and filler words drop away.
- “Wear cool shorts today.”
Questions about “Shorts”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for shorts. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional variation, so you may see small differences from signer to signer.
Guide
Basic Phrases
The first phrases you actually use in a signed conversation: introductions, asking for help, saying you are learning, and keeping things polite. Real video for each one.
From the blog
The First 50 ASL Signs to Learn (and Why These 50)
A teacher-picked starter vocabulary: greetings, replies, pronouns, question words, and feelings that let you hold a real first conversation. Every sign on video.