Daily focus
Archive Replay
Friday, July 4, 2025
Sign of the Day
premises
Two flat hands outline a rectangular area, representing a property or building
B2 Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
Today’s Snapshot
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Both hands flat, fingers together, thumb alongside palm
Hands move to outline a rectangular or square shape
Referring to a specific physical location or property, often formal
Break It Down
Watch, build, and feel the movement
Use the numbered steps first, then check the sign anatomy cards to clean up the small details that make the sign look fluent instead of approximate.
How to form the sign
- Form both hands into flat 'B-hands'
- Position hands close in neutral space, palms facing
- Move hands outwards, down, inwards, and up to outline a rectangle
- Ensure the movement is smooth and symmetrical
Coach prompt
Practice outlining different size 'premises' smoothly
Signature details
Handshape
Both hands flat, fingers together, thumb alongside palm · Code S3
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Symmetric
Contact
Air
Palm orientation
Palms face each other, fingers pointing forward/slightly up
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
Often mouth 'prm-s' or 'building'
Body shift
None
Use It Today
Move from recognition to real-life use
Everything below is designed to make the sign sticky: where it feels natural, what learners miss, and how to use it without sounding robotic.
The company leases these premises for its office
The size of the outlined shape can subtly indicate the size
Best fit: Referring to a specific physical location or property, often formal
Mirror focus
Practice outlining different size 'premises' smoothly
Catch the slip
Focus on consistent handshape, smooth outlining, and symmetric movement
Use it today
The company leases these premises for its office
Common mistakes: Making the shape too small, incorrect handshape, asymmetric movement
When not to use it: For abstract concepts like 'ideas' or 'assumptions'
Regional note: Minimal, fairly standard across regions
1.[en] We need to secure the premises. / BSL:[SECURE PREMISES]
2.[en] The shop is on these premises. / BSL:[SHOP HERE PREMISES]
3.[en] Access to the premises is restricted. / BSL:[PREMISES ACCESS RESTRICTED]
Connect the Dots
Turn one sign into a small learning cluster
These links use your relationship fields, related vocabulary, and category context so the daily page becomes a launchpad instead of a dead end.
Word web
Property
building
site
location
place
Building
land
property
area
site
location
Building
Property
Location
Site
Land
HOUSE: Uses B-hands to form a roof shape above the head, then sometimes straight down for walls. 'Premises' outlines a rectangular space at chest height, not specifically a dwelling. AREA/SPACE: Can use similar outlining gestures, but 'premises' specifically denotes a property or building site, often with legal or business connotations, whereas 'area' is more general. BUILDING: Often uses flat hands to stack shapes upwards, representing floors. 'Premises' outlines the footprint/boundary
Business
legal
property
location
place
BSL premises
sign for premises
BSL property
BSL building
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Video credit: The demonstration video on this page is credited to SpreadTheSign. The video remains the property of the original rightholder.
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