To sign happy in ASL, hold your dominant hand flat with the palm facing your chest. Brush the hand up your chest, lower it a little, and brush up again, so the hand makes two upward strokes. Let your face look happy too, with relaxed eyes and a soft smile.
Practice it with your camera
Sign it in front of your phone camera and get instant feedback on your signing. Start free.
How to sign it
Handshape: a flat hand with the fingers together.
Location: the middle of the chest.
Movement: brush the hand upward on the chest twice.
Palm orientation: the palm faces your chest.
Facial expression: a relaxed, happy face.
Tip to remember it
Lifeprint notes that the more happy you are, the more your facial expression should show it.
Use it in a sentence
MOM HAPPY.
Mom is happy.
This video signs happy with one hand brushing up the chest twice. Lifeprint describes the hand circling forward, down, back and up, touching the chest on the upward swing, and notes that it is often signed with both hands.
Practice this sign in AISA School
Start free. Sign in front of your camera and get instant feedback on your signing.
200,000+ downloads on iPhone and Android
Signed by a Deaf, fluent ASL signer.
Description checked against AISA's own video (the reference); Lifeprint (ASL University), lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/h/happy.htm.
Save or share this sign
Animated GIF. Long-press or right-click to save it.