Signs for ASK

"How do you say 'ask' in American Sign Language?"

Definition: To put a question to; request an answer (from).

Pronunciation (sign description): Dominant upright forefinger in space with palm facing out moves slightly forward while the index finger transforms into the "X" handshape or clawed forefinger.

In ASL grammar, this ASL verb can be inflected in agreement with the subject, object, or pronoun in a sentence.

Usage examples: Generally, you can use it pretty much in most contexts.

Informal register; colloquial form used by native and fluent Deaf signers. For beginners or learners, use the formal citation above instead.

Usage example in ASL glossed as: "WELL, DUNNO. ASK-hir. SEE WHAT SHE/HE SAY."

Meaning: to request (someone) to do or give something.

Same sign for REQUEST.

Verb inflection

In grammar, the verb ASK is usually inflected to agree with subject/object/pronoun in a sentence. To learn about verb agreement, see some inflected verb ASK below.

Verb inflection: ASK-ME.

Verb inflection. IX-ASK-ME. She/he asks me.

Vocabulary

Related signs: QUESTION, QUERY, REQUEST, DEMAND, ask around.

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First 100 words.

  1. again
  2. also
  3. ask
  4. bad
  5. boy
  6. but
  7. can
  8. come
  9. deaf
  10. different
  11. drink
  12. drive
  13. eat
  14. email
  15. excuse
  16. family
  17. feel
  18. few
  19. find
  20. fine
  21. fingerspell
  22. finish
  23. food
  24. for
  25. forget
  26. friend
  27. get
  28. girl
  29. give
  30. go
  31. good
  32. have, has, had
  33. he
  34. hearing
  35. hello
  36. help
  37. home
  38. how
  39. Internet
  40. know
  41. later
  42. like (feeling)
  43. little
  44. live
  45. man
  46. many
  47. me
  48. meet
  49. more
  50. my
  51. name
  52. need
  53. new
  54. no
  55. not
  56. now
  57. ok, okay
  58. old
  59. other
  60. please
  61. remember
  62. same
  63. say
  64. school
  65. see
  66. she
  67. should
  68. sign, signed word
  69. slow
  70. some
  71. sorry
  72. store
  73. take
  74. tell
  75. text, sms
  76. thank, thank you
  77. their
  78. they
  79. think
  80. time
  81. tired
  82. try
  83. understand
  84. use
  85. wait
  86. want
  87. what
  88. when
  89. where
  90. which
  91. who
  92. why
  93. will
  94. with
  95. woman
  96. work
  97. write
  98. yes
  99. you
  100. your

As you feel more comfortable with the first few hundreds of ASL signs, progress further with your vocabulary and learn signing more.