SWIM in sign language

How to sign "swim", "swimming" in American Sign Language (ASL)?

Definition: To move in water by movements of the body or parts of the body, especially the arms and legs.

In the case of fish or any animal with a tail and fins, this ASL sign doesn't apply. Use the classifier for fish swimming instead.

Vocabulary

What a competitive SWIMMER needs are a SWIMSUIT, a SWIM CAP, GOGGLES, and a SWIMMING POOL filled with cold WATER.

Vocabulary for swim strokes: BUTTERFLY, BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE, FREESTYLE, and individual medley (I.M.).

Vocabulary for swimming kicks: DOLPHIN KICK used in butterfly, FLUTTER KICK used in freestyle and backstroke, FROG KICK used in breaststroke, and SCISSORS KICK, well, used in beginner classes.

Wonder how Deaf swimmers and track-and-field athletes hear a STARTING GUN?

Deaf History

This newspaper article featured a Deaf competitive swimmer (who is the creator of this web app/site).

Deaf swimmer, news clip
Newspaper clipping, 1987.

Yeah, competitive swimmers swim with their mouth open (without getting water swallowed in)-- especially when they're laboring and sweating (never noticeable) after 5 miles or 8 km of fast swim in a training session.

Usage/Grammar

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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 SWIMMING

Written ASL digit for "SWIM/SWIMMING" contributed by Jolanta in the ASLwrite community, 2018.

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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.