“Move” is two hands picking something up and setting it down somewhere else. It is a practical sign for cleanup, rearranging, and the constant toddler business of relocating objects.
How to Sign “Move” in ASL
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Make the handshapes: Flatten both hands into loose flattened-O shapes, palms down, as if each holds something small.
- Start on one side: Hold both hands together on one side of your body.
- Arc across: Lift both hands in a smooth arc and set them down on the other side.
The hands carry an invisible object from here to there — the arc is the journey.
Step-by-Step Photos
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
When to Use It With Your Child
- At cleanup: “Move the blocks to the bin” with the sign, then do it together.
- At the table: Sign it as you move the cup away from the edge (a daily event).
- In requests: “Should we move teddy to the chair?” — toddlers love relocating their crew.
Tips for Success
- Sign it in the direction the thing actually moves — ASL uses real space.
- A two-handed scoop-and-plop counts as an early version.
- It works well in tidy-up songs as the action word.
Signs Related to “Move”
“Put” and “bring” use related carrying handshapes, and “go” covers when people rather than things relocate. Spatial verbs like “move” show off ASL’s ability to map real space directly.
In ASL grammar, “move” can be inflected dozens of ways — the same sign done slowly, sharply, or repeatedly means relocating carefully, abruptly, or item after item.