In American Sign Language, “done” and “finished” use the same sign. You hold both open hands in front of your chest with palms facing you and fingers pointing up, then quickly twist both hands outward so your palms end up facing forward. The whole motion takes about a second.
Step-by-Step Hand Position
Start with both hands open, fingers spread naturally and pointing upward. Your palms should face your body, roughly at chest height. Then twist both wrists simultaneously so your palms flip outward, away from you. Think of it as a quick “shoo” motion with both hands, except your hands stay in place rather than pushing forward.
You can do this twist once or twice. A double twist is the most common, casual version. A single, sharper twist feels more final and emphatic, like putting a period at the end of a sentence.
How Movement Changes the Meaning
The basic sign covers a wide range of meanings: done, all done, already, finished, “it’s over,” or “I did it.” Context and facial expression tell the listener which shade of meaning you intend. If someone asks whether you’ve eaten and you sign FINISH with a relaxed expression, it means “already” or “yes, I did.”
You can also do this sign with just one hand and a single strong, decisive movement paired with an intense facial expression. That version means something closer to “Cut it out!” or “Stop it!” Using two hands with that same forceful single motion adds even more emphasis.
One important distinction: this sign does not mean “keep going until you complete it.” If you want to tell someone to finish a task, you’d use signs like CONTINUE or END instead. The sign FINISH describes something that is already complete, not something you’re urging someone to complete.
Grammar Uses Beyond “Done”
FINISH does more heavy lifting in ASL grammar than you might expect. It works as a past tense marker. Placing FINISH before a verb creates what linguists call perfect tense, similar to “have” in English. For example, signing FINISH EAT conveys “I have eaten” or “I already ate.” It can also turn a question into past tense: signing FINISH followed by a verb with a questioning facial expression means “Have you…?” or “Did you…?”
This dual role as both a standalone word and a grammar tool is why FINISH appears so frequently in ASL conversation. Learning this one sign gives you access to expressing completion, past tense, and emphasis all at once.
The Baby Sign Version
If you’re teaching a baby or toddler to sign “all done,” you’ll use a simplified version of this same sign. The baby-friendly form skips the quick twist and just focuses on the core motion: palms start facing in, then turn to face out. Babies can’t manage rapid wrist flicks, so a single slow turn of the hands works perfectly. This is one of the most popular early signs parents teach, especially at mealtimes, because it gives a pre-verbal child a way to communicate “I’m finished” without fussing or throwing food.