How to Say Thank You in Sign Language: ASL, BSL, and Baby Signs

ASL users in the United States: 500,000 to 2 million (NIDCD) ·
Sign languages worldwide: Over 300 (Gallaudet University) ·
Deaf children with hearing parents: 90% (NIDCD)

Six data points, one pattern: “thank you” looks different depending on where you are, who is signing, and how old the signer is.

How to Sign Thank You and Other Polite Words in Sign Language

In American Sign Language, the standard sign for “thank you” begins with the fingertips of an open, flat hand near the chin, then moves forward and slightly down with the palm facing up, according to a Lawrence Journal-World guide to baby signs. Keep the fingers together with the thumb extended, a handshape noted by parenting resource BabyCenter. The movement travels outward toward the person being thanked, as the ASL Bloom app stresses in its video lessons.

What is the sign for ‘please’?

• Handshape: open flat hand
• Location: center of the chest
• Movement: small circular motion

The version taught in most beginner videos uses an open hand circling the chest. It’s the natural complement to “thank you”: please is asked on the chest, while thanks are given from the chin outward.

How do you sign ‘you’re welcome’?

• Formal ASL: varies by region and context
• Informal baby-sign materials: often the same motion as “thank you”

There is no single dictionary-style “you’re welcome” that works in every situation the way it does in English. In informal baby-sign teaching materials, the sign for “thank you” is commonly used for “you’re welcome” as well, according to BabyCenter. Context and the direction of the exchange carry the rest of the meaning.

How do you sign ‘no thank you’?

• No standard one-hand compound for “no thank you” in ASL
• Signers typically combine “no” + “thank you” with a polite head shake

Treat it as a short sequence rather than a single sign: sign “no,” then sign “thank you,” often with a slight head shake and a smaller, softer movement. The politeness lives in the delivery as much as in the handshape.

The pattern: “thank you” in ASL is not just a handshape. It’s a direction, a palm orientation, and a social signal — all three must line up for the sign to land as sincere.

The pattern holds across languages: a specific “thank you” relies on handshape, direction, and location working together.

How to Teach a Baby to Sign Thank You

Baby-sign programs borrow selected signs from ASL, but they are not equivalent to learning ASL as a complete language, notes the Cleveland Clinic. They exist to give hearing caregivers a way to support early communication before spoken language is reliable.

What age should I start teaching baby sign language?

• 6–7 months: common starting point cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
• Readiness varies: successful use often comes later than the first attempt

Starting early matters less than consistency. Babies usually produce rough approximations of adult signs before they produce precise ones, so treat the first attempts as progress, not errors, advises the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The same guidance recommends modeling the refined sign over time instead of preserving an early, sloppy version as the permanent one.

What are the easiest first signs for a baby?

• “More,” “eat,” “all done,” and “please” are common first picks in baby-sign programs
• “Thank you” appears on ASHA’s recommended early-sign list
• Sign during routines: reading, feeding, bathing, diapering, dressing

Say the spoken word out loud while you make the sign, so the baby connects the two channels. The American Academy of Pediatrics adds one caution: don’t reduce spoken interaction when you introduce signs — babies need the words too (AAP, HealthyChildren.org).

The upshot: the first sign is not the achievement. The achievement is the loop — the baby asks, the adult responds, and both sides feel understood.

Consistency and spoken reinforcement are the proven pillars of successful baby signing.

What’s the Difference Between ‘Thank You’, ‘Good’, and ‘I Love You’ in ASL?

The reason beginners confuse “thank you” and “good” is that the two signs are genuinely close. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) lists “thank you” as a recommended early sign and describes it as resembling “good” — which is why a sloppy “thank you” reads as “good.” The practical difference is direction: “thank you” travels outward toward the person being thanked, while “good” stays closer to the mouth.

What is the ILY hand sign?

• One hand, three extended fingers: thumb, index, and pinky
• Middle and ring fingers folded down
• Combines the ASL letters I, L, and Y (Lifeprint.com — ASL University)

The ILY sign works as a standalone sentiment — “I love you” — rather than a polite exchange. It’s often held still or given a small shake, and learners confuse it with “thank you” because both signs can appear around chin and face height. The handshapes, however, are completely different.

How do you sign ‘I’m good’ in ASL?

• “I” — point to yourself
• “Good” — hand near the mouth, no outward travel
• Combine them to answer “How are you?”

“I’m good” is the sign “good” placed near the mouth, usually after a point to yourself. It stays close to the body — exactly what separates it from “thank you,” which leaves the body and travels to the other person, as the ASL Bloom app demonstrates.

How Does the British Sign Language (BSL) Sign for Thank You Compare to ASL?

British Sign Language and ASL are different languages, not regional dialects of one system. They developed in separate countries with separate grammars and vocabularies — which is why the BSL “thank you” described below looks nothing like the ASL version.

Are ASL and BSL the same?

• ASL: used mainly in the United States and English-speaking Canada
• BSL: used in the United Kingdom
• Grammar and vocabulary: mutually unintelligible

The two languages share almost no lexicon. A “thank you” that works in the US will not be understood in the UK, and vice versa. The UK formally recognized BSL as a language in March 2003 — a status that took decades of advocacy.

How do you sign ‘thank you’ in BSL?

• Handshape: flat open hand
• Starting point: the chin
• Movement: down and away, with a facial expression that differs from the ASL version

The BSL sign for “thank you” is typically described with a flat hand at the chin moving forward and away, according to British-sign.co.uk, a BSL dictionary and learning resource. The geography is similar to the ASL sign, but the handshape and rhythm are different, and the accompanying facial expression carries meaning that ASL handles differently.

Why this matters: English-speaking countries do not share a sign language. If a search result just says “sign language,” check the country first — otherwise the polite gesture you rehearsed will not be polite where you use it.

How to Start Learning Sign Language Online

A visual language needs visual teaching. The best free starting points are structured, video-first, and run by people with genuine expertise in Deaf culture.

What are the best free resources for learning ASL?

• Gallaudet University: free online ASL resources (Gallaudet University)
• Lifeprint.com: a complete self-guided ASL curriculum by Bill Vicars (Lifeprint.com — ASL University)
• Prefer Deaf teachers and ASL educators over generic “sign language” influencers

Gallaudet University offers free online resources that start with the basics and build toward real conversation. Lifeprint functions as a self-guided curriculum with video dictionaries and practice drills, created by ASL educator Bill Vicars.

Are there any recommended apps for sign language?

• Video-first apps beat still images for directional signs
• ASL Bloom teaches signs in short clips with context (ASL Bloom)
• Treat apps as practice partners, not your only teacher

An app is a drill partner, not a community. For accuracy, pair it with live practice, ideally with Deaf or hard-of-hearing signers who can correct your handshape, direction, and facial expression in real time.

The catch: video is the only honest format for a visual language. A text description can explain “thank you,” but only a moving model can show you the difference between “thank you” and “good.”

Four signs, one pattern: the same polite intent needs a different handshape, direction, and social context depending on the language and the message.

Teaching a baby to sign has real upsides and two genuine gotchas. Here’s the balance sheet.

Step by step: teach “thank you” to a baby (or learn it yourself)

1. Start around 6–8 months if you’re teaching a baby (Cleveland Clinic).
2. Place the fingertips of your open hand near your chin, fingers together, thumb extended.
3. Move the hand forward and slightly down, palm up, toward the person you’re thanking.
4. Say “thank you” out loud every time you make the sign.
5. Keep talking. Signing accompanies speech; it doesn’t replace it.
6. Expect rough approximations first, then model the refined sign over time.

Two pieces of guidance explain most of what parents and beginners need to know.

Signing is an addition to speech, not a replacement. The words should keep flowing while the hands work.

— American Academy of Pediatrics (via HealthyChildren.org)

In informal teaching materials, “thank you” and “you’re welcome” often share the same motion. The social situation carries the rest.

— BabyCenter (guide to signing with your baby)

The consequence: whether the goal is a polite toddler or a working ASL vocabulary, the medium is the message. For a hearing parent or a beginner learner, the choice is clear — learn from sources that show the handshape, the direction, and the facial expression together, then practice with a human being, or keep confusing “thank you” with “good” at the exact moment someone is waiting to be thanked.

Frequently asked questions