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

Bring your dominant hand to your mouth, with your thumb touching your fingers like you're holding food, then tap your fingers to your mouth once or twice to sign "eat" in ASL. This simple motion copies how we naturally bring food to our mouths. The sign is easy to understand and many different sign languages use it. You can change how you make the sign to show if you're eating casually with a relaxed hand or formally with careful movements. By adding other signs, you can tell people what you're eating or describe how you eat.