American Sign Language Alphabet

About ASL Alphabet

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages. It is expressed by movements of the hands and face. The ASL alphabet, also known as the American Manual Alphabet, is a set of 26 hand shapes that correspond to the 26 letters of the English alphabet.

Learning the ASL alphabet is often the first step in learning ASL. It allows you to fingerspell words for which you don't know the sign, such as names, places, brands, and technical terms.

Study the hand shapes below, and then test your knowledge with our interactive mini-game!

ASL Alphabet Chart

A
ASL Letter A
B
ASL Letter B
C
ASL Letter C
D
ASL Letter D
E
ASL Letter E
F
ASL Letter F
G
ASL Letter G
H
ASL Letter H
I
ASL Letter I
J
ASL Letter J
K
ASL Letter K
L
ASL Letter L
M
ASL Letter M
N
ASL Letter N
O
ASL Letter O
P
ASL Letter P
Q
ASL Letter Q
R
ASL Letter R
S
ASL Letter S
T
ASL Letter T
U
ASL Letter U
V
ASL Letter V
W
ASL Letter W
X
ASL Letter X
Y
ASL Letter Y
Z
ASL Letter Z

Tips for Learning ASL Alphabet

  • Practice fingerspelling in front of a mirror to see your hand shapes clearly.
  • Start slowly and focus on accuracy before speed.
  • Practice spelling your name, address, and common words you use daily.
  • Find a practice partner to fingerspell words to each other.
  • Use our mini-game below to test your recognition skills!

ASL Alphabet Mini-Game

Test your knowledge of the ASL alphabet! You'll be shown a random sign, and you need to type the corresponding letter. See if you can identify all 26 letters correctly!

Word Fingerspelling Visualizer

Type any word or phrase below and watch it being fingerspelled in ASL! This tool helps you visualize how words are spelled using the ASL alphabet and practice your receptive fingerspelling skills.

FasterSlower

Current Progress:

Enter a word and press Start

Ready to spell

Why Practice Fingerspelling?

Fingerspelling is used in ASL for proper names, technical terms, or words that don't have established signs. It's also used to emphasize a word or to clarify. Becoming fluent in both producing and recognizing fingerspelled words is essential for ASL communication.