Essential ASL Directional Verbs

Why This Matters

Directional verbs are the backbone of ASL grammar—they're how you show who does what to whom without needing separate signs for subjects and objects. Unlike English, where word order tells you "I gave her" versus "she gave me," ASL embeds this information directly into the verb's movement. You're being tested on your ability to manipulate spatial grammar, understand verb agreement, and demonstrate fluency in person marking, role shifting, and spatial referencing.

Mastering these verbs isn't about memorizing a list of signs—it's about understanding the underlying principle: movement carries meaning. The path your hands travel between points in signing space tells the whole story of an interaction. Don't just learn what each verb looks like; know how to modify its direction, speed, and intensity to convey different relationships and contexts.

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Transfer and Exchange Verbs

These verbs involve something moving from one person to another—whether physical objects, money, or abstract concepts like information. The movement path literally traces the transfer from source to recipient.

GIVE

• Movement flows from giver to receiver—start the sign near the giver's location in signing space and arc toward the recipient
• Handshape modifications indicate what's being given; flat hands suggest documents or flat objects, curved hands suggest bulkier items
• Speed and manner convey attitude: slow and careful for giving gently, quick and sharp for giving reluctantly or urgently

SEND

• Outward flicking motion from sender toward recipient's established location in space
• Context determines meaning—the same directional principle applies whether you're sending a text, a package, or a person on an errand
• Repeated movement can indicate sending multiple items or sending to multiple recipients

PAY

• Direction shows financial flow—from the payer toward the person or entity receiving payment
• Location modification matters: signing toward a neutral space can indicate paying a business rather than a specific person
• Intensity variations express amounts or emotions; emphatic movement might suggest expensive or reluctant payment

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Information-Sharing Verbs

These verbs move knowledge, stories, or explanations between people. The direction indicates the flow of information from the knower to the learner.

TELL

• Direction indicates speaker-to-listener relationship—modify starting and ending points based on who's communicating to whom
• Facial expressions are grammatically required—they convey tone (serious news, exciting gossip, casual chat)
• Can be inflected for aspect—repeated movement suggests telling over time or telling multiple people

EXPLAIN

• Typically uses two-handed movement flowing outward from the explainer toward the recipient
• Depth of explanation shown through movement size and repetition; larger, repeated movements suggest detailed explanation
• Combines naturally with role shifting—you can show both the explainer and the person receiving clarification

TEACH

• Movement flows from teacher's space toward learner's established location
• Repeated or sustained movement indicates ongoing instruction versus a single lesson
• Non-manual markers (facial expressions, body posture) show teaching style—patient, enthusiastic, strict

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Request and Assistance Verbs

These verbs involve asking for or providing something—help, information, or participation. Direction shows who initiates the request or offer and who responds.

ASK

• Direction moves from asker toward the person being asked
• Facial grammar is essential—eyebrows raised for yes/no questions, furrowed for wh-questions
• Politeness and urgency conveyed through movement quality and accompanying non-manual signals

HELP

• Base hand represents the person receiving help; active hand moves toward them showing assistance
• Can be directed multiple ways—"I help you," "you help me," "they help each other" all use the same base sign with different spatial paths
• Degree modifications show intensity: small movement for minor assistance, larger emphatic movement for significant support

INVITE

• Welcoming gesture moves toward the person being invited, often with an open palm orientation
• Enthusiasm level shown through facial expression and movement size—subtle for formal invitations, animated for excited ones
• Can be modified for group invitations by sweeping toward multiple established referent locations

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Demonstration Verbs

This verb involves making something visible or clear to an observer. Direction indicates who controls the demonstration and who receives the visual information.

SHOW

• Movement presents toward the observer's location in signing space
• What's being shown affects the sign—can incorporate classifiers for the object being demonstrated
• Emphasis and focus created by holding the final position, drawing attention to specific details

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. Which two verbs both involve transferring something to another person but differ in whether the recipient is physically present? What spatial modification would you use for each?

2. If you need to show that someone explained a concept repeatedly over several sessions, how would you modify the sign EXPLAIN? What grammatical feature does this demonstrate?

3. Compare TELL and TEACH: What do they share in terms of directional movement, and how do their meanings differ in context?

4. You're signing a story where Character A asks Character B for help, and then Character B helps Character A. How does the direction of movement change between these two actions, and where would you establish each character in signing space?

5. FRQ-style prompt: Demonstrate how the verb GIVE can convey three different meanings by modifying direction, speed, and facial expression. Explain what grammatical principle allows a single sign to express these variations.