How to sign
When in ASL
When circles the dominant index finger around the tip of the other index finger and lands on it, with lowered eyebrows.
- Single sign
- Two hands
- Handshape: Index fingers (1 hands)
- In front of chest
- Question Words
How to sign when
- 1
Hold your non-dominant index finger up.
- 2
Circle the tip of your dominant index finger around it once.
- 3
Land the moving fingertip on the still fingertip. Eyebrows down.
Common mistakes
- Circling without landing. The sign ends with the fingertips touching.
Use it in a sentence
English sentences you can sign with When. In ASL the word order can shift and filler words drop away.
- “When does it start?”
Questions about “When”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for when. Like spoken languages, ASL has regional variation, so you may see small differences from signer to signer.
Guide
Question Words
The six WH-question signs, where they go in an ASL sentence, and the eyebrow rule that makes a question a question. Video for each sign and full question phrases.
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.