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

In ASL, "time" is shown by tapping your wrist where a watch would normally be. People started using this sign because it looks like checking a watch for the time. The sign changes meaning based on how you tap or move your finger across your wrist - one tap asks for the time, two taps mean "on time," and sliding forward means "over time." When you want to say a specific time, you first show the number and then do the time sign. This basic sign is used everywhere and is one of the first things new ASL students learn.