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How To Sign BUY
in American Sign Language.
ASL LOVE
🤟 How to sign
To sign "BUY" in American Sign Language (ASL), place your flat hand on your non-dominant palm and move it forward and away, representing the action of giving money in exchange for something.
📖 Word definition
To obtain something in exchange for payment; to purchase goods or services with money.
🎯 Detailed Hand Movement Guide

  1. Hand Shape: Dominant hand in flat handshape, non-dominant hand in flat palm-up position.
  2. Starting Position: Place dominant flat hand on the palm of non-dominant hand.
  3. Movement: Move dominant hand forward and slightly upward off the palm.
  4. Path: Short, deliberate forward motion representing giving money.
  5. Hand Orientation: Dominant hand palm down, non-dominant palm up throughout.
  6. Facial Expression: Neutral to slightly focused, showing intentional transaction.

⚠️ Common Mistakes & What to Avoid

❌ Wrong direction: Move forward off palm, not backward or sideways.

❌ Too big movement: Keep motion small and controlled, not exaggerated.

❌ Wrong handshape: Use flat hand, not fist or pointing finger.

❌ No contact: Start with hand touching the palm before moving forward.

💬 Common Sentence Examples

"I buy groceries."
How to sign: Point to yourself ("I") → sign "buy" (flat hand off palm forward) → sign "groceries" (G handshape moving down in shopping motion).
"She bought a car."
How to sign: Point to her ("she") → sign "buy" with past tense marker → sign "car" (hands gripping steering wheel motion).
"We need to buy milk."
How to sign: Sign "we" (point between you and others) → sign "need" (X finger bending down) → sign "buy" → sign "milk" (fist squeezing motion).