Negations!
Here are four different ways to negate things in ASL
No
• Used to answer a yes/no question.
Ex: Can I borrow a pencil? No!
None
• Use to indicate an amount of zero. Ex: How many dogs do you have? I have none.
(In English, we tend to (incorrectly) use “No” to mean zero, so be sure if you see the word “no,” you know if it should be
signed “NO” or “NONE.”
Not
• Used to indicate the opposite. Ex: I’m not hungry.
Specials
• The sign itself changes to indicate the negation.
Don’t know
Don’t like
Don’t want
ASL Sentence Structure
Negations go after the verb or noun that they are referencing. In a simple sentence, they go at the end.
TOPIC COMMENT NEGATION or
Object-Subject-Verb-Negation
BROTHER I HAVE NONE (I don’t have any brothers)
ART
I TAKE
NOT
(I am not taking art)