How to sign
Sorry in ASL
Sorry is a fist (A handshape) circling on the chest, with an apologetic face. It covers 'I'm sorry' as an apology and as sympathy.
- Single sign
- One hand
- Handshape: A hand (fist, thumb to the side)
- Center of chest
- First Signs
How to sign sorry
- 1
Make a fist with the thumb along the side (an A handshape).
- 2
Place it on your chest and circle it two or three times.
- 3
Look sorry. The face is at least half of this sign.
Common mistakes
- Using a flat hand. That's PLEASE.
- Signing it with a cheerful face, which reads as sarcasm.
Questions about “Sorry”
Same sign, slower, with a sympathetic expression. Context and face make the difference between an apology and sympathy.
Guide
Greetings
How to say hello, goodbye, good morning, and nice to meet you in ASL, plus the etiquette of getting someone's attention before you sign.
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.