How to Sign "Stop" in American Sign Language (ASL)

Hold one hand up vertically with your palm facing out and fingers pointing up to sign "stop" in ASL. This common gesture looks just like what traffic officers do and what you see on stop signs all around the world, making it easy for most people to understand right away. Say "stop" firmly and clearly. When you need to make the sign stronger, you can move your hand quickly or make your face look more serious to show it's urgent or important. Teaching "stop" is one of the first things parents do when their babies start learning ASL because it helps keep them safe.