Signs for ILY (I LOVE YOU)

Used to express "I Love You" in different contexts. The ILY handshape is a combination of the three fingerspelled letters: I+L+Y (I Love You).

It is used to, often informally, express "I love you" among family members, as well as sometimes among very close friends, whenever appropriate. It can be used at parting, or used as a different meaning in contexts.

Variation of the movement. It is also used in Deaf Ameslan culture as farewell with love between loved and close ones.

Also see I LOVE YOU, LOVE-YA.

Story and more explanation on the ILY handshape.

R-ILY

Q: "I was wondering what it meant when your index finger and middle finger are crossed, your ring finger is down and your pinky is out, your thumb is out, one hand, no movement." -- Moses, June 2017.

A: Regarding the modified ILY with "R", it means "I really love you". It can also mean "I love you very much" in general.

Written ASL

[Note: ASL writing is not an official standard. This sign language writing remains in a state of open space to allow room for experiment, evolution, and improvement.]

ASL written for I-LOVE-YOU

Written ASL digit for "I-LOVE-YOU" contributed by the ASLwrite community, 2018.

Deaf Culture and tidbits

Deaf Humor

What a fun coincidence.

ILY traffic light
Image posted on FB (Feb. 15, 2019) by Michael Baker who found this near his home in Bernalillo in New Mexico, USA. No photoshop.

"Sometimes burnt LEDs can lead to something even better! [ILY icon] :D" -- Joseph Wheeler (Feb. 15, 2019, FB).

More stories on this ILY thing.

Ad-free Patron: To remove ads or/and unlock premium content, subscribe today or learn more about the features.

~~ Feeling lucky? ¯\(°_o)/¯ Random word ~~

Search Tips and Pointers

Search/Filter: Enter a keyword in the filter/search box to see a list of available words with the "All" selection. Click on the page number if needed. Click on the blue link to look up the word. For best result, enter a partial word to see variations of the word.

Screenshot of dictionary search with notes
Screenshot of the search dictionary

Alphabetical letters: It's useful for 1) a single-letter word (such as A, B, etc.) and 2) very short words (e.g. "to", "he", etc.) to narrow down the words and pages in the list.

For best result, enter a short word in the search box, then select the alphetical letter (and page number if needed), and click on the blue link.

Screenshot of dictionary search with notes
Screenshot of the search dictionary

Don't forget to click "All" back when you search another word with a different initial letter.

If you cannot find (perhaps overlook) a word but you can still see a list of links, then keep looking until the links disappear! Sharpening your eye or maybe refine your alphabetical index skill. :)

Add a Word: This dictionary is not exhaustive; ASL signs are constantly added to the dictionary. If you don't find a word/sign, you can send your request (only if a single link doesn't show in the result).

Videos: The first video may be NOT the answer you're looking for. There are several signs for different meanings, contexts, and/or variations. Browsing all the way down to the next search box is highly recommended.

Video speed: Signing too fast in the videos? See HELP in the footer.

ASL has its own grammar and structure in sentences that works differently from English. For plurals, verb inflections, word order, etc., learn grammar in the "ASL Learn" section. For search in the dictionary, use the present-time verbs and base words. If you look for "said", look up the word "say". Likewise, if you look for an adjective word, try the noun or vice versa. E.g. The ASL signs for French and France are the same. If you look for a plural word, use a singular word.