Ziggy.

How to sign

Yesterday in ASL

Yesterday moves a thumbs-up (A hand) back from the cheek toward the shoulder, into the past.

  • Single sign
  • One hand
  • Handshape: A hand with thumb up (or Y)
  • Cheek, moving back
  • Time of Day
Filmed by the Ziggy signers

How to sign yesterday

  1. 1

    Touch the thumb to your cheek near the chin.

  2. 2

    Arc it back toward your ear or shoulder.

  3. 3

    Backward is the past. Use it at the start: YESTERDAY I GO.

Common mistakes

  • Moving forward. That's TOMORROW.

Keep going

More time of day signs

All 11 signs

Questions about “Yesterday”

Yes. This clip shows the common ASL sign for yesterday. 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

ASL Grammar Is Not English: 7 Rules That Change Everything

Topic-comment order, time at the front, no 'is' or 'the', and eyebrows that ask the question. The grammar rules that make ASL its own language, with signed examples.