“How” rolls two curled hands open like revealing a secret. It is the last of the big question words toddlers acquire, and the start of “how are you?” — the world’s most useful sentence.
How to Sign “How” in ASL
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Curl the hands: Bend both hands and press the backs of the fingers together in front of you.
- Roll forward: Rotate both hands forward around each other.
- Open up: Finish with both palms facing up, as if presenting the answer.
The hands start closed and roll open — how something works, revealed. Pair it with raised eyebrows when asking “how about…?”
Step-by-Step Photos
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
When to Use It With Your Child
- At how-moments: “How does the door open?” Sign it, then show the mechanism slowly.
- In greetings: “How are you?” with the sign each morning builds the phrase early.
- At puzzles: Sign “how?” before demonstrating where the piece goes.
Tips for Success
- This is a later sign — expect recognition long before production.
- Two fists bumped and turned over counts as a toddler version.
- Embed it in “how are you?” — phrases stick better than isolated late signs.
Signs Related to “How”
“Why” precedes it developmentally, and “what” is the gateway question sign to teach first. “How are you” plus “fine” or “happy” gives a toddler their first complete conversation.
“How” questions emerge last among the wh-words in child language — typically after age three in speech, though signing children often show comprehension far earlier.