Daily focus
Archive Replay
Friday, September 26, 2025
Sign of the Day
year
Dominant S-hand circles non-dominant S-hand once. Represents the cyclical nature of a year
A1 Very Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
Today’s Snapshot
The meta fields are doing real work here
This page turns your sign metadata into a fast, readable fingerprint of how the sign looks, feels, and fits into real conversation.
Dominant and non-dominant hands both form fists (S-hand)
Dominant fist circles non-dominant fist once
General conversation about time, dates, age
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 S-hand with dominant hand
- Form S-hand with non-dominant hand
- Place hands at mid-chest, non-dominant slightly forward
- Circle dominant fist once around non-dominant
Coach prompt
Practice signing 'year' with both hands forming fists, dominant circling non-dominant
Signature details
Handshape
Dominant and non-dominant hands both form fists (S-hand) · Code S-hand
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Asymmetric
Contact
Air
Palm orientation
Dominant palm faces non-dominant; non-dominant palm faces up
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
Mouthing 'year'
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.
My son is ten years old. / BSL: MY SON TEN YEAR OLD
Often combined with numbers for specific durations, e.g., 'two years'
Best fit: General conversation about time, dates, age
Mirror focus
Practice signing 'year' with both hands forming fists, dominant circling non-dominant
Catch the slip
Ensure dominant hand completes full circle around non-dominant. Maintain clear S-handshapes
Use it today
My son is ten years old. / BSL: MY SON TEN YEAR OLD
Common mistakes: Confusing with 'week' or 'month'; incorrect handshape or movement
When not to use it: When referring to a specific season or day instead of a full year
Regional note: Minimal variation for this common sign across the UK
Cultural note: Time concepts are fundamental in all cultures
1.[en] Next year. / BSL: NEXT YEAR
2.[en] Last year. / BSL: PAST YEAR
3.[en] Every year. / BSL: EVERY YEAR
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
Annum
twelvemonth
Month
week
day
time
calendar
Month
Week
Day
Time
Age
The BSL sign for 'year' (two S-hands, dominant circles non-dominant) is distinct from 'week' (two B-hands, dominant circles non-dominant), where the flat handshapes convey a shorter duration. It's also different from 'month' (dominant index finger traces non-dominant palm), which is a linear motion rather than circular, and uses different handshapes
Time
calendar
duration
Year
twelve months
annual
time
Come Back Tomorrow
Build a rhythm around one sign a day
The archive rail lets people revisit recent daily picks, while the teaser card gives a reason to return instead of drifting away after one lesson.
Video credit: The demonstration video on this page is credited to SpreadTheSign. The video remains the property of the original rightholder.
All written explanations, learning notes, examples, comparisons, and page design on this page are SignDeaf educational material.