FOOD in sign language

The signed 'food' is one of few easiest signs. Although full-fledged signed languages around the world are abstract and not easy to understand, few ASL basics such as "food" are easy words to learn or recognize.

ASL signs for 'food'

"How do you sign 'food' in American Sign Language?"

Meaning: Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.

Pronunciation (sign description): Dominant flat "O" hand with the fingers and thumb facing the mouth taps on the mouth twice.

The sign for "EAT" is the same as this sign. Whether this sign is a noun or a verb depends on the sentence structure.

Related concepts: COOK, FEED.

Food phrases

Too tired to cook for dinner tonight? Order some fast food from a RESTAURANT.

Meaning: Of, relating to, or specializing in food that can be prepared and served quickly.

Vocabulary: PIZZA, TACO, SPAGHETTI, etc.


Sometimes it indulges to eat some salty junk food once in a while...

Meaning: Food that is high in calories but low in nutritional content.

Like some vocabulary: HAMBURGER, French fries, HOT DOG, etc. Or, some sweets and snacks like a CANDY, COOKIE, ICE CREAM, etc.


Healthy food is the food of life that it deserves a word without the adjective "healthy" in it.

Meaning: natural food that is thought to have health-giving qualities or vital nutrients.

Examples of (the real) food are FRUIT, VEGETABLE, NUT, whole GRAIN, FISH...


Feeling thirsty? See DRINK.

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.