Anyone who’s tried to learn a few signs from a video knows the feeling: the hand moves fast, the meaning doesn’t stick. Because “thank you” is often one of the first signs people try in ASL — and also one of the easiest to mix up with GOOD — this guide walks through the exact movement for THANK-YOU, shows how to tell it apart from GOOD, and ends with the handshape, direction, and context cues you need to sign with confidence.

4 related posts

ASL users in the U.S.: Approximately 250,000–500,000 primary users (NIDCD) ·
Rank among U.S. college languages: third most studied (Wikipedia) ·
Common baby-first sign: “thank you” is often among the first 10 signs taught (Parents)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • THANK-YOU starts near the lips or chin and moves forward toward the person (Lifeprint ASL University).
  • THANK-YOU uses an open B handshape: fingers together, thumb extended (Strong ASL).
  • ASL is a complete, rule-governed language, not a signed version of English (ASHA).
2What’s unclear
  • Whether the exact THANK-YOU handshape varies by region in the U.S.
  • The precise historical origin of the GOOD vs THANK-YOU handshape distinction.
  • How consistently the sign for FOR is used across different ASL communities.
3Timeline signal
  • ASL has been used in the U.S. and parts of Canada for more than 200 years (ASHA).
  • The American School for the Deaf was founded in Hartford in 1817 (ASHA).
4What’s next
  • Practice THANK-YOU with a clear outward direction, then compare it to GOOD in a mirror.
  • Learn PLEASE and YOU’RE WELCOME to round out polite conversation.
  • Fingerspell names and short notes once you pick up the ASL alphabet.

The pattern: most confusion between GOOD and THANK-YOU comes from similar starting positions and subtle movement changes.

Eight quick facts, one pattern: THANK-YOU and GOOD are close enough to look alike, but they live in different grammatical and spatial worlds.

Fact Details
ASL users in the U.S. Estimated 250,000 to 500,000 primary users (NIDCD)
Language family American Sign Language belongs to the French Sign Language family (Britannica)
Visual modality ASL uses hand shapes, movement, facial expressions, and body language (Gallaudet University)
THANK-YOU handshape Open B, fingers together, thumb extended (Strong ASL)
THANK-YOU movement Moves from the chin area outward toward the person (Lifeprint ASL University)
GOOD movement Flat hand moves from chin down and outward, sometimes landing on the opposite palm (Handspeak)
ASL status Distinct language with its own grammar, used in North America for 200+ years (ASHA)
Baby-sign precedence “Thank you” is commonly among the first 10 signs parents teach (Parents)
Bottom line: The pattern: if you line up the statistics, the same conclusion keeps appearing — ASL is a full language, and THANK-YOU is one of its most practical signs.

How do you say “thank you” in ASL?

Step-by-step instructions for the thank you sign

  1. Start at the chin or lips with an open B hand. Strong ASL’s dictionary describes the palm covering or touching the mouth, then moving forward and down until the palm faces upward (Strong ASL).
  2. Keep the motion continuous. The hand should flow outward in one smooth gesture rather than stopping at the face.
  3. Add a warm, brief expression. Facial tone supports the sign, though it doesn’t replace the manual movement (Gallaudet University).
The upshot

If your hand stays at your mouth, you’re posing; if it moves out toward the person, you’re signing.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

  • Flattening the palm downward. That orientation edges toward GOOD (Handspeak).
  • Mouthing the English word as if it were required. Mouthing is optional, not part of the core ASL sign (Lifeprint ASL University).
  • Using no direction. Without the forward path, the sign loses its target.

What this means: the grammatical power of THANK-YOU comes from direction, not handshape alone.

Bottom line: Beginners who master the outward arc have already distinguished THANK-YOU from GOOD — and that’s the foundation for the next set of polite signs.

The implication: once the outward arc feels automatic, you’re no longer mixing up THANK-YOU and GOOD.

What is the difference between good and thank you in ASL?

Handshape differences

  • Both THANK-YOU and GOOD can start near the chin with a flat or open hand (Britannica).
  • The handshape alone doesn’t separate them; orientation and motion do (Gallaudet University).
  • THANK-YOU usually uses an open B with fingers together and thumb out (Wikipedia).

Movement differences

  • THANK-YOU travels outward from the chin toward the person being thanked (NIDCD).
  • GOOD uses a shorter outward-and-down arc; a two-handed variant brings the dominant hand onto the upturned non-dominant palm (Lifeprint ASL University).
  • Context resolves ambiguity: the same starting motion before NIGHT means GOOD, as in GOOD NIGHT (Wikipedia).

Palm orientation differences

  • THANK-YOU starts with the palm facing the signer and rotates upward or outward as it extends (Gallaudet University).
  • GOOD often keeps the palm flatter and facing down (Britannica).
  • The difference is subtle enough that new signers should focus on the direction of the palm, not just the handshape (NIDCD).

Three features separate the pair; here’s the side-by-side.

Feature THANK YOU GOOD
Movement Moves outward from mouth/chin toward the addressee (Lifeprint ASL University) Moves down and outward; two-handed version meets non-dominant palm (Handspeak)
Palm orientation Starts inward, finishes upward or outward (Strong ASL) Usually flat and facing down or outward (Britannica)
Context cue Aimed at the person being thanked (NIDCD) Often part of phrases like GOOD NIGHT (Wikipedia)

The pattern: if you point your hand toward someone, you’re thanking them; if you let it settle into a downward arc, you’re calling it good.

How do you sign “please” and “you’re welcome” in ASL?

Sign for please

  • Please uses a flat hand with the palm on the chest, moving in a small circular motion (Gallaudet University).
  • The circle is compact — about the size of a coffee cup — not a big arm sweep.

Sign for you’re welcome

  • You’re welcome starts with a flat hand near the chin and moves outward with the palm facing up (Handspeak).
  • Like THANK-YOU, it’s directional: the hand travels toward the person who thanked you.

Sign for bye

  • Bye is an open hand waving, similar to the English gesture (Verywell Health).
  • It’s one of the easiest signs to learn because it matches a gesture most people already make.

The trade-off: polite signs share a starting zone near the face and chest, so the movement direction is what tells them apart.

How do you sign “good morning” in ASL?

Sign for good morning (compound sign)

  • Good morning is a compound sign: sign GOOD, then sign MORNING (Britannica).
  • MORNING is made with one arm resting across the chest while the other arm rises, as if the sun is coming up (Gallaudet University).

Sign for good (alone)

  • GOOD alone uses a flat hand moving outward from the chin in a small arc (Handspeak).
  • The two-handed GOOD variant brings the dominant hand onto the upturned non-dominant palm (Lifeprint ASL University).

What this means: “good morning” is less a single sign and more a two-beat phrase — GOOD gets the emphasis, MORNING supplies the context.

What is the ASL alphabet and how do you sign “for”?

ASL alphabet basics (fingerspelling)

  • The ASL alphabet consists of 26 handshapes, one for each English letter (Wikipedia).
  • Fingerspelling is used for proper nouns, brand names, and words without a standard sign (Gallaudet University).
  • Learning the alphabet also trains your hand to move between common handshapes more fluidly.

The sign for “for”

  • The sign for FOR uses a flat hand with the thumb out, moving forward from the chin or chest area (Britannica).
  • In context, FOR can also be expressed with a pointing motion toward the person or object involved.

The takeaway: once you understand that ASL builds meaning from handshape, movement, and location, the alphabet and common prepositions like FOR stop feeling like separate memorization tasks.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

  • THANK-YOU starts near the chin and moves outward toward the person (Lifeprint ASL University).
  • GOOD uses a similar starting point but a different movement path (Handspeak).
  • ASL is a distinct, rule-governed language with its own grammar (ASHA).

What’s unclear

  • Whether the exact THANK-YOU handshape varies by region within the U.S.
  • The precise historical origin of the GOOD vs THANK-YOU handshape distinction.
  • How consistently the sign for FOR is used across different ASL communities.

The catch: what looks like a tiny motion difference is actually a grammatical one.

What the sources say

“THANK-YOU and GOOD are similar signwords but are not interchangeable in every context.”

Lifeprint ASL University, ASL instruction resource

“GOOD and THANK can look like homophones with subtle differences; the surrounding context helps you read which one is meant.”

Handspeak, ASL dictionary

The common thread across ASL educators is practical: don’t search for a magical handshape. Watch where the hand starts, where it travels, and who it points toward.

Additional sources

nsf.gov, britannica.com, lifeprint.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between ASL and BSL for the sign “thank you”?

Yes. ASL belongs to the French Sign Language family, while British Sign Language is part of a different sign language tradition. Their signs — including THANK-YOU — are not the same (Britannica).

Can I sign “thank you” using one hand?

Yes. ASL is naturally produced with one or two hands. THANK-YOU is almost always signed with one hand in casual conversation (Strong ASL).

What is the cultural significance of saying thank you in Deaf culture?

Expressing gratitude in ASL is not just a word; it’s a social gesture that uses eye contact, facial expression, and spatial direction. Politeness in ASL relies on non-manual markers as much as the manual sign (Gallaudet University).

How early can babies learn the sign for thank you?

Many parents begin teaching “thank you” between 10 and 18 months, often after babies have mastered more concrete signs like milk or more. Consistency and modeling matter more than age (Parents).

Do facial expressions matter when signing thank you?

Yes. A warm expression signals sincere gratitude, while a neutral face can make the sign feel mechanical. Still, the manual movement and direction carry the core meaning (ASHA).

What other common polite signs should I learn besides thank you?

Start with PLEASE, YOU’RE WELCOME, SORRY, and EXCUSE ME. Together with THANK-YOU, these four cover most everyday social exchanges (NIDCD).

How do you say “thank you very much” in ASL?

To emphasize gratitude, sign THANK-YOU with a slightly larger movement and a more expressive face. Some signers add the sign VERY before THANK-YOU, though in casual ASL the intensity of the movement and face carries the “very” (Handspeak).

The pattern: the same “face-to-face, hand-forward” logic runs through every polite ASL exchange.

Related reading

The takeaway for new signers: point the hand outward, keep the movement continuous, and let context do the rest.