How to sign
Where in ASL
Where is an upright index finger wagging side to side, with lowered eyebrows. It goes at the end of the question: BATHROOM WHERE.
- Single sign
- One hand
- Handshape: Index finger (1 hand)
- In front of shoulder
- Question Words
How to sign where
- 1
Hold your index finger up, palm facing out.
- 2
Wag it side to side two or three times, like 'no-no' but with the palm out.
- 3
Eyebrows down. Put it at the end: YOU LIVE WHERE.
Common mistakes
- Wagging the whole arm. Only the finger moves, from the wrist.
- Confusing it with NO. WHERE is one finger wagging; NO is two fingers snapping to the thumb.
Use it in a sentence
English sentences you can sign with Where. In ASL the word order can shift and filler words drop away.
- “Where is the bathroom?”
Questions about “Where”
Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for where. 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.