How to sign
Terrible in ASL
Terrible is the ASL sign for terrible, filed under Descriptions. Watch the clip, then sign it along with the video.
- Single sign
- Descriptions
How to sign terrible
- 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 terrible 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 Terrible. In ASL the word order can shift and filler words drop away.
- “That was terrible.”
Questions about “Terrible”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for terrible. 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
Facial Expressions in ASL Are Grammar, Not Decoration
Eyebrows ask questions, a head shake negates, mouth shapes change size and intensity. The non-manual markers every beginner needs and how to practice them.