Learning how to sign angry in ASL gives your child a way to communicate before words arrive. “Angry” gives toddlers a word for the big feeling before the meltdown hits. Two claw hands in front of the face, paired with a tense expression, say everything “angry” needs to say. Toddlers typically manage it between 14 and 20 months.
How to Sign “Angry” in ASL
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Make the handshape: Curve both hands into claws, fingers spread and bent.
- Hold them in front of your face: Palms face you at nose level.
- Tense and pull: Pull the claws slightly outward with a tense face. The facial expression is half the sign.
In ASL, emotion signs live on the body and face together. For “angry,” your scrunched expression is grammar, not performance.
Step-by-Step Photos
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
When to Use It With Your Child
- In the moment: When your toddler melts down, crouch to their level and sign “angry” with full empathy.
- In storybooks: Label an angry character, then sign the feeling together.
- After resolution: “You were angry. Now you feel better.”
Tips for Success
- Model it with genuine feeling — a deadpan face signing “angry” confuses toddlers.
- Naming the feeling is co-regulation: a toddler who can sign “angry” has already started to regulate it.
- Pair with “why” so toddlers can eventually sign “angry why” as an early sentence.
Signs Related to “Angry”
“Sad” (hands sliding down the face) and “frustrated” (a bent hand bouncing off the lips) are nearby emotion signs.
Research on emotion labeling shows that children who can name feelings at age 2 have measurably fewer behavior problems at age 5.
Learn more: National Association of the Deaf — ASL resources and advocacy from the National Association of the Deaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start teaching my baby how to sign angry in ASL?
You can introduce the sign for angry as early as 14–20 months. Babies understand signs before they can produce them, so start modeling it consistently and reward any attempt — even an approximation — with the item or action right away.
How long does it take for a baby to learn to sign angry?
Most babies begin producing a recognizable version of the sign for angry within two to four weeks of consistent daily modeling. Frequency matters more than perfect form at this stage — sign it every time the word comes up naturally in your routine.
Is the ASL sign for angry the same in baby sign language programs?
Yes. Most baby sign language programs teach the authentic ASL sign for angry. Using real ASL rather than invented gestures means your child’s signs will be understood by Deaf signers and build a foundation for learning more ASL as they grow.