British Sign Language (BSL) is an expressive language used by the deaf community (native Sign language users) in the UK. In BSL, fingerspelling and specific hand movements can represent each day of the week. Learning how to sign the days of the week is valuable for those learning BSL and promotes inclusivity and understanding.
Signing the days of the week in BSL is a fundamental aspect of communication for the deaf community. By learning how to sign the days, you can enhance your ability to interact and engage with deaf individuals.
How to Sign Days of the Week in British Sign Language
In this section, we will guide you through signing each day of the week in BSL. Remember to practice each sign slowly and accurately, paying attention to handshapes, movements, and facial expressions. Let’s get started!
Regional variations:
We will explain the most common signs for days in the week. Please remember that there are regional variations. For example, some native signers fingerspell S-A-T for Saturday instead of using the standard sign. Resources for regional variations will be at the bottom of this article.
Monday
To sign Monday in BSL, follow these steps:
- Extend your non-dominant hand in front of you, palm facing upwards.
- Use your dominant hand to fingerspell ‘M’ by tapping your palm twice.
- Simultaneously, shape your mouth to form the word “Monday.”
Tuesday
To sign Tuesday in BSL, follow these steps:
- Extend your non-dominant hand in front of you, palm facing upwards.
- Use your index finger on your dominant hand to fingerspell the letter ‘T’ by tapping your other palm twice.
- Simultaneously, shape your mouth to form the word “Tuesday.”
Wednesday
To sign Wednesday in BSL, follow these steps:
- Raise both flat hands with fingers open
- Bring together to fingerspell ‘W’ by tapping your hands together twice.
- Simultaneously, shape your mouth to form the word “Wednesday.”
Thursday
To sign Thursday in BSL, follow these steps:
- Extend your non-dominant hand in front of you, palm facing upwards.
- Use your dominant hand to fingerspell the letter “T.”
- Without pausing, transition into finger spelling the letter “H” in one fluid motion.
- Shape your mouth to form the word “Thursday” as you sign.
Friday
To sign Friday in BSL, follow these steps:
- On both hands, extend the index and middle fingers together
- Use your dominant hand to fingerspell the letter “F.”
- Make circular motions on top of your stationary fingers with the fingers of your dominant hand.
- Shape your mouth to form the word “Friday” as you sign.
Saturday
To sign Saturday in BSL, follow these steps:
- Extend both hands in front of you, palms facing inwards.
- Keep your non-dominant hand stationary and put your dominant hand on top.
- Make circular motions in front of your stationary hand with your dominant hand.
- Shape your mouth to form the word “Saturday” as you sign.
Sunday
To sign Sunday, follow these steps:
- Extend both hands in front of you, palms facing each other.
- Bring your hands together, palm to palm, twice in front of your body.
- Shape your mouth to form the word “Sunday” as you sign.
Other days of the week signs that are useful to know include yesterday, today, tomorrow, week, next week, and last week. These signs are linked to timelines used in BSL. You usually learn about timelines when studying BSL level 1 and Level 2.