Sign language is the bridge between the hearing and the deaf community. This language enables the deaf community to communicate their emotions, needs, ideas, and thoughts. So, if you want to convey your love to your deaf family, friend, or partner, learn how to say ‘I love you’ in sign language. It can be the most precious and impactful gift for them. You can learn this basic sign in our blog.
Here, you can learn how to say ‘I love you’ in British and American sign language. Also, we will show you how to learn sign language and interact with the deaf community.
There are different types of sign languages in the world. However, the British Sign Language (BSL) and the American Sign Language (ASL) are the most widely used sign languages. Here is how you can say “I love you” to your loved ones in these two common sign languages.
You can say I Love You in British Sign Language in 3 very simple steps. You can easily memorise the steps and use them to express your love in no time. These steps are –
Take the index finger of your right hand and point it towards yourself. This is how you demonstrate the ‘I’.
Now lift both your hands and put one hand on top of the other, making a cross. After making the cross, bring it towards yourself and rest it on your chest. This part is how you express ‘love’.
The last step is to point the index finger of your right hand at the person you are communicating with. This gesture means ‘You’, and this is it! You can practice the steps a few times to make it error-free.
Suggested Reading: How to Learn British Sign Language? A Beginner’s Guide
Like BSL, it is also quite easy to express your love using American Sign Language. We have divided the sign into 3 easy steps to help you understand it better. Follow the steps below to express I love you in ASL.
Take your index finger and your thumb and create an ‘L’ shape.
While you make the ‘L’ with your index and thumb, raise your pinkie finger up. Keep your middle finger and ring finger down with your palm the whole time. In addition, keep your palm of the hand towards the person.
Finally, direct your hand towards the person you are talking to.
There you go; the ASL sign for ‘I love you’ is complete.
Now that you have learnt to sign for ‘I love You’, it can be used to sign for other similar sentences. Here are a few
First, make the signs for ‘I’ and ‘love’. Then, make a sweeping gesture from left to right, indicating “everyone” or “all of you.” There you go!
By adding one more gesture, you can easily express the depth of your love. For that, all you have to do is make the sign for ‘I love you’ and then spread your arms apart. By the last gesture, you indicate the extent of your love.
Here are some simple and common signs that can help you establish a basic conversation with a deaf person. These are easy to learn and remember.
It is one of the easiest signs. In order to say Hi or Hello in sign, all you have to do is wave your hands. You can use any of your hands and wave in an arc shape starting from your side. You can also use this sign to say goodbye as well.
The same sign is used to say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ in BSL. You have to take one hand up to your chin. While making the sign, the palm of your hand should be facing you. Now, put the fingertips on your chin and then bring your hand down. While demonstrating this sign, you should not spread your fingers
To say ‘Sorry’ in sign language, you have to make a fist with one hand. Place the fist near your chest and move it in a circular motion.
There are two steps to saying, ‘How are you?’ Firstly, you have to place both your hands on your chest, keeping them flat against your chest. The second gesture is curling your fingers, making a fist and keeping your thumbs up.
Learning any language seems challenging at the beginning. However, with time and practice, it can become an enjoyable experience. The same goes for sign language. When you start learning the signs, you may find it difficult. As you continue learning, it will become easy for you.
However, you do need total dedication and focus. In addition, utilising effective strategies will help you grasp the language faster. Here are some tips that will enhance your learning experience.
Practice is the ultimate solution for easily learning sign language. So, you must practice hand shapes and finger spelling regularly. The more practice you do, the easier it will be to remember the signs.
Communicating with the deaf community can be an excellent way to learn sign language. By communicating with them, you will receive a practical understanding. Moreover, interacting with them in sign language can help you to be more accurate and boost your confidence as well.
The more resources you use, the better you will learn. From books to YouTube videos and Sign Language Courses, there are multiple resources available. Using different resources will enrich your understanding and help you improve your ability to communicate in sign language.
Here are a few courses you might find helpful in your BSL journey:
Being patient and consistent is the key. Along with the alphabet, there are grammar rules, body movement, and facial expressions involved in sign language. At first, you may find it overwhelming. So, you have to be patient and focused on the learning journey.
There are around 300 different sign languages in the world. For example, BSL is used in the UK, however, in Australia, the Auslan sign language is used. Hence, the sign language you should learn depends on the sign language used in your geographical location.
You may think that the sign language is the same in the places where the same spoken language is used. Yes, there can be some similarities in signs, but they’re not the same. For example, both America and the UK are English-speaking countries. However, their sign languages have some major differences.
Here are some basic differences between ASL and BSL.
Topics | BSL | ASL |
Alphabet and Fingerspelling | In BSL, both hands are used for showing alphabets and fingerspelling | All ASL alphabets and fingerspelling require one hand. Each letter is represented by a certain hand shape. |
Grammar | BSL uses a topic-comment structure. And there’s a lot of emphasis on the movement and placement of signs within the signing spaces. | ASL uses a subject-verb-object structure along with a topic-comment structure. |
Vocabulary | BSL words use different signs for most of the words, and these signs may change slightly from region to region. | Most of the ASL signs are influenced by the French Sign Language. |
Non-manual Signals | Body movement and hand shapes are widely used in BSL. | ASL mostly emphasises facial expressions. |
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Learning BSL can be a rewarding experience as it will allow you to communicate with the deaf community. Additionally, developing BSL skills can be advantageous if you wish to work with the deaf community or in the relevant fields.
There are a few ways you can learn BSL; these are –
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You can find BSL courses in your local community colleges. These courses come in different levels. So, you can start from the very basics and gradually move to more advanced levels.
There are a handful of online learning platforms that offer quality BSL training. Therefore, you can take these courses and learn BSL from the comfort of your home. For instance, John Academy provides accredited BSL courses for different levels of learners at the most reasonable prices. Do check it out!
Different types of learning apps are available for learning and practising BSL. In addition, you will find many video lessons on YouTube on BSL. Along with short videos on specific signs, you will also find elaborate courses as well.
Learning from a personal tutor is an effective way of learning sign language. Thus, you can hire a professional BSL tutor and receive more personalised training. A private BSL tutor can cost between £25 and £35 per hour.
There are many deaf organisations and community centres that provide training on BSL. Connecting with these organisations can be an excellent way to learn BSL. In addition, you can network with deaf members and get the chance to receive a practical understanding.
There are many factors that will determine how long you will need to learn BSL. For example, your prior understanding of BSL, the time you spend on study, the level of desired proficiency, etc. On average, you will need around 3–6 months to develop a primary understanding of BSL.
Once you learn the basics, you have to study and practice for 1-2 years to reach an intermediate level of proficiency. At the intermediate level, you will be able to sign more complex sentences and use better vocabulary. To become an advanced-level user, you may need several years. Along with guided learning, you must practice regularly to become a fluent BSL user.
Learning how to say ‘I love you’ in sign language is a wonderful way to embrace a new language. By mastering this simple phrase, you will not only be able to express your emotions but also make the deaf community feel included. However, do not limit yourself to this one sentence. Rather, expand your knowledge and be a part of the sign language community.
The ASL I-L-Y sign originated from the letters I, L, and Y. It is the short form of ‘I Love You’. The index finger and the thumb create the letter L, the raised pinkie finger stands for ‘I’, and the thumb and pinkie combined become the ‘Y’
There are no certain rules regarding using your left or right hand. Usually, people use their dominant hand to sign ‘I love you’.
For basic level skills, you will require around 3-6 months. To become an intermediate-level user, you may need 1–2 years. However, to become a fluent BSL user, you will require many years of learning and practice.
The cost will depend on the type and the level of course you are taking.
Online courses may cost from £20-£300. The John Academy courses will cost you only £23.99.
On the other hand, community college courses can cost around £200-£600 per term.
No, the sign language is not the same in every country. Different countries have different sign languages.
There are around 300 different sign languages in the world.
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