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PAST: The American Sign Language (ASL) sign for "past / before / used to be"
 


Also see: Past: "A while ago."

Also see: Past: "A long time ago."



PAST:
The sign for "past" is made by moving your dominant hand over your dominant shoulder.  Your palm should face your body. The more emphasis you give the motion and/or the larger movement you use indicates further into the past:

 

Sample sentence: How many did you get wrong on the previous test for this class?


 


 

"before"
"last" as in "last night"
previously

 

Sample sentence: That happened a while ago in 2013.

 


 

Use to be...
A while back...
Back when...

 


 

Once upon a time, long, long, ago...
 

 

 


Hey man, that's ancient history!

 


 

ASL pun: PAST-YOUR-EYES-MILK-[pasteurized-milk]-[pun]

 

 


Notes:  If you mean "before" as in "before you do that you should do this..." you should use the sign PRIOR-before.

 

Also see: FUTURE
FINISH
RECENT
LATE
HISTORY




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