Just like any other spoken language, SASL has signs that allow us to place a concept within a time frame. The following time indicators are used in SASL:
| Indicator: | Videos/Image: How to sign the concept |
| Indicator: Time |  |
| Indicator: Hour |  |
| Indicator: Date |  |
| Indicator: Morning |  |
| Indicator: Afternoon |  |
| Indicator: Day |  |
| Indicator: Night |  |
| Indicator: Week |  |
| Indicator: Month |  |
| Indicator: Year |  |
| Indicator: Yesterday |  |
| Indicator: Tomorrow |  |
| Indicator: Before |  |
| Indicator: After |  |
| Indicator: Now |  |
| Indicator: Future |  |
| Indicator: Past |  |
| Indicator: Sometimes |  |
| Indicator: Always |  |
| Indicator: Early |  |
| Indicator: Late |  |
| Indicator: Until |  |
| Indicator: Birthday |  |
Using time indicators in Sign Language sentence structure
Sign language sentence structure when using time indicators may also look different from standard English. For example (A - standard english structure, B - sign language structure):
A: What (question) time (time indicator) are we (pronoun) going (verb)?
B: We (pronoun) going (verb) time (time indicator) what (question)?
A: Tomorrow is my birthday.
B: My birthday tomorrow.
A: I go there every year.
B: Every year I go there.
A: See you at noon.
B: See you noon.
A: After thirty minutes.
B: Thirty minutes after.
A: What now?
B: Now what?
A: They open early in the morning.
B: Morning they open early.
A: The night is too long.
B: Night long.
A: He complains every hour.
B: Every hour he complains.
A: He comes here daily.
B: Daily he comes here.
The signs for the following concepts are the same:
- Summer and Hot
- Winter and Cold
- Today and Now
- Noon and Afternoon
- Sunrise and Morning
- Daily and Day
- Since and Past
Self-test:
Change the following sentences into sign language structure:
- When is your birthday?
- I'll call you in the evening.
- I read it sometimes.
- I cannot always do the work.
- What will happen then?
- We'll see one day.
- I saw you this morning.
- Do you see the what the time is now, you'll be late.
The answers:
- Your birthday when?
- I call you evening.
- Sometimes I read.
- I cannot do work always.
- Will happen then what?
- One day we see.
- Morning I see you.
- You see what time now you late.