How To Sign Good Morning In Sign Language: Start A Simple Conversation Using ASL

Learning how to say good day, good night, and good morning in sign language should be the next step after learning the basics expressions like hello and goodbye. Of course, there are many other important phrases that you should know about, but let’s start with the most basic ones.

What Is Sign Language?

When one uses sign language, they use the visual-manual modality to create meaning to send a message to a receiver and start a conversation. Every sign language has a distinct grammar and lexicon making them official languages. 

Sign languages have developed as a form of communication for people who belong in the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities worldwide. Additionally, it is also used by people who cannot speak or with a disability or condition, causing them to have difficulty with spoken language. Other people who would normally use sign language are people with deaf family members.

The exact number of sign languages globally is unknown, especially as every country has its native sign language; some even have more than one system. Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised when you meet someone who doesn’t recognize what you’re telling them. But if you learn the basic phrases, like hello, goodbye, or good morning in sign language, you shouldn’t worry as they are mostly similar to other sign language systems.

Some Essential Phrases To Learn In American Sign Language

According to The SIGN-HUB Atlas of Sign Language Structures, there are approximately 200 sign languages, while the 2021 edition of Ethnologue has documented 150. Indo Sign Language is the most widely used sign language globally as of 2021, and Ethnologue ranks it as the 151st most used language. We need to clarify that the sign phrases we will be teaching you involve American Sign Language or ASL. Also, you don’t need to worry if you’re right-handed or left-handed, as you can use whichever hand as your dominant hand or whatever you feel comfortable using to sign.

So, if you’re excited to learn some basic phrases like good morning in sign language and communicate to someone you know who is deaf, mute, or hard on hearing, then let’s start now. Here are some important phrases to get your learning going:

Sign language is ranked as the 151st most often spoken language.
The 151st most often spoken language is sign language. Source: Pixabay

Hello

Of course, one of the most basic phrases you should learn in ASL is “hello”, and it’s also the easiest since it’s a conversation starter, so this should be easy to remember. All you need to do is put your hand up to your eyebrow, with your palm facing forward and your index finger touching your eyebrow, and move it away from your face. So, yes, it looks like you’re giving a salute, and you’re about to wave at the person you’re talking to.

Are you curious to find out what nuances in a sentence are? Click here to find out more.

Good Morning

Good morning in sign language is something you might say as a follow-up to hello. Of course, it depends on the time of the day. So, if you want to wish someone a good morning, the first sign you need to learn is the sign for “good,” where you will lay your hands in front of your chest with your palms facing you, then have one of your hands touch your chin using your fingers and letting your hand fall on top of your other hand.

To make the “morning” sign, you need to bend one arm forward while keeping it parallel to your waist. After that, you should place the fingertips of your other hand in the crook of your bent arm and then let the palm of your bent arm rise as if you’re mimicking the rising sun.

Good Afternoon

Learn ASL: Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Good Night in American Sign Language

Signing the word “good” would be the same, but for “afternoon” you have to put one of your arms in front of your upper abdomen. After that, put your dominant arm’s elbow on top of your other hand then show your palm as though your hand is the sun and it’s midway up.

Good Night.

Of course, good night in sign language would follow the same pattern, as you can sign “good” the same way, then “night” would be like the sun setting on the horizon. You can sign “night” by putting one of your hands in front of you with the palms facing downwards. With the dominant hand, use your fingers to touch your chin, then bend your fingers and let it fall on top of the other hand.

Greetings, Farewells, and Introductions in ASL

Have a good day.

Have a good day in sign language might be trickier as it involves more actions. So, let’s start with “have” by bending the fingers of your hands and letting them touch your chest. Next, you can sign “good” the same way. For “day” you will put your one of your arms in front of you without it touching your chest, then put your dominant arm’s elbow on top of your other hand with the index finger pointing up, then let this arm fall on top of your other arm.

ASL Vocabulary: Have Good Day, Take Care

Sorry

“Sorry” is also easy as you would just use your hand to form a fist and let it touch the center of your chest. Once your fist is on your chest, make some circular motions. That’s it.

Are you into fanfictions? Check out what Y/N means.

Thank you

Saying thank you is important to learn for every language you’re learning, as you need to say it on many occasions. All you have to do is open your hands and let your fingers touch your chin, and then put your hand forward with your palm facing you the entire time.

Sign the words PLEASE, THANK YOU, and YOU’RE WELCOME – how to Sign Language.

Goodbye

After a conversation, you will need to say “goodbye” and you can do this by raising your dominant hand and bending the fingers repeatedly as if you’re waving goodbye. It’s that easy.

Have you heard of the expression “a sight for sore eyes”? Find out what it means by clicking here.

Sign Yourself Up For More ASL Lessons

So, now that you know how to say good morning in sign language, you should be able to start a conversation using ASL. Of course, you should continue your learning with more complex sentences to have deeper and more meaningful conversations with your friends who use the language.

Are you interested in reading some more related articles? Check out our College life section and Home.

Leonard

Leonard hails from the Philippines and works as a freelancer, author, poet, and visual artist. He discovered his passion for writing and painting at an early age, leading him to pursue a degree in Mass Communications. He worked at a few places after college before landing what he thought was a "life-changing" writing career. He was also the lead singer and songwriter for a band. His career as an English teacher, poet, and visual artist took him to Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2018. You can see more of his work on Instagram at @anumalei.