Home in Sign Language (ASL): Step-by-Step Guide

To sign “home” in American Sign Language (ASL), form a flattened O handshape with your dominant hand. Touch your fingertips to your cheek near the corner of your mouth, then move the hand slightly back and touch your cheek again closer to your ear. The two contact points traditionally represent eating and sleeping—the everyday activities associated with home.

“Home” is a useful early sign because it appears in everyday conversations about family, routines, travel and belonging. Below, you will learn the handshape, location and movement step by step, see how HOME differs from HOUSE, and practice it in short ASL phrases.

How to Sign Home in ASL

1. Choose your dominant hand. Use the hand you normally write or sign with.
2. Make a flattened O handshape. Bring your fingertips and thumb together, as if you were holding a very small object. Keep the hand relaxed rather than tightly pinched.
3. Make the first contact. Touch the fingertips to your cheek near the corner of your mouth.
4. Move the hand back. Lift the hand slightly and move it along the same side of your face toward your ear.
5. Make the second contact. Touch the cheek again. The movement should be small, smooth and deliberate.

You only need one hand. Keep your shoulders relaxed and look toward the person you are communicating with. The sign is usually produced naturally, without an exaggerated facial expression.

Quick Memory Tip

The two locations can help you remember the sign: the first touch is near the mouth, associated with eating, and the second is farther back on the cheek, associated with sleeping. Eating and sleeping are two familiar activities we do at home.

HOME vs. HOUSE in Sign Language

HOME and HOUSE are related, but they are not the same sign.

• HOME uses one flattened O hand and two touches on the cheek. It refers to the place where someone lives or feels at home.
• HOUSE is commonly formed with two hands outlining the roof and sides of a building. It focuses more directly on the physical structure.

Context matters. You might use HOME when saying that you are going home, but HOUSE when describing a building. Watching fluent Deaf signers will help you see how each sign works naturally in conversation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using only one touch: HOME normally has two contact points on the cheek.
• Moving too far: The movement is short. Your hand should stay on the same side of your face.
• Holding a stiff handshape: Keep the flattened O comfortable and controlled.
• Confusing HOME with HOUSE: HOME touches the cheek; HOUSE outlines a building with two hands.
• Looking only at your hand: In conversation, maintain natural eye contact and use the sign as part of a complete thought.

Useful ASL Phrases With Home

Practice HOME with short ideas you are likely to use. ASL has its own grammar, so these gloss examples are learning prompts rather than word-for-word English translations.

• GO HOME — “Go home” or “I’m going home,” depending on context.
• MY HOME — “My home.”
• YOUR HOME WHERE? — “Where is your home?”
• HOME I MISS — “I miss home.”
• HOME FINISH ARRIVE — “I arrived home.”

Start slowly, then repeat each phrase at a natural pace. Record yourself or practice in a mirror to check the handshape and the two points of contact.

How to Practice the Sign for Home

1. Make the flattened O handshape five times without moving your arm.
2. Practice the two cheek contacts slowly.
3. Sign HOME at a conversational speed while keeping the movement compact.
4. Add GO, MY, FAMILY or WHERE to build short phrases.
5. Compare your movement with a trusted Deaf-led ASL dictionary or instructor.

Related ASL Signs to Learn Next

Once HOME feels comfortable, continue with signs that naturally appear in the same conversations: HOUSE, FAMILY, LIVE, ROOM, KITCHEN, BED, LEAVE, ARRIVE and GO. You can also practice another everyday expression with our guide to how to say I love you in sign language, or strengthen your fingerspelling with the letter S in sign language.

Frequently Asked Questions

What handshape is used for HOME in ASL?

HOME commonly uses a flattened O handshape: the fingertips and thumb come together while the hand remains relaxed.

Is HOME a one-handed ASL sign?

Yes. The standard sign described here is made with the dominant hand.

Where does the hand touch the face?

First touch the cheek near the corner of the mouth, then move slightly back and touch the cheek again closer to the ear.

Are HOME and HOUSE the same sign?

No. HOME uses one hand touching the cheek twice. HOUSE usually uses two hands to outline the roof and walls of a building.

Can the sign for HOME vary?

Yes. Natural signing can vary by region, generation and individual style. Learn from fluent Deaf signers and use context to understand variations.

Keep Building Your ASL Vocabulary

Learning one useful sign at a time makes ASL practice easier to sustain. Review HOME in short phrases, watch it in natural conversation and revisit it over several days. When you are ready for structured lessons, explore our Master ASL Level One learning set or browse all ASL learning resources.

Learning note: A written description and still image cannot show every detail of a moving language. Use this guide together with instruction from fluent Deaf signers and reliable ASL video resources.