How Do You Say Favorite in Sign Language today, I want to talk directly to you, my amazing audience who is learning ASL with passion and curiosity. Let me start with a small story.
A few months ago, I was teaching a beginner who wanted to tell her deaf friend what her “favorite” food was. She knew some signs, but when it came to expressing favorite, she froze. She told me later, “I wish someone had explained it to me simply, like we’re just talking.” And that moment pushed me to create guides that feel personal, direct, and easy.
So in this lesson, I’m not just teaching you I’m guiding you like a friend sitting right beside you. Whether you’re a student, a parent, or someone learning ASL to connect with loved ones, you’re in the right place. Let’s make signing your favorite things simple, fun, and meaningful starting now.
Quick Reference Table:
| Language | Word / Phrase for “Favorite” | Literal Meaning / Cultural Note |
| American Sign Language (ASL) | Hand to chin → forward & close fist at heart | “The one I keep close to my heart” – deeply emotional, often accompanied by a soft smile |
| French | préféré / préférée | “preferred” – French people will debate their plat préféré for hours with theatrical passion |
| Spanish | favorito / favorita | Same root as English; used constantly in Latin America for everything from songs to abuelas |
| Italian | preferito / preferita | Italians often say “il mio preferito” with a kiss on the fingertips – chef’s kiss literal |
| German | Lieblings- (Lieblingsbuch, Lieblingsessen) | “Love-most”; Germans attach it as a prefix – very efficient expression of deep affection |
| Portuguese | favorito / favorita | Brazilians say “meu favorito” with a singsong rhythm that makes everything sound warmer |
| Dutch | favoriet | Straightforward, but the Dutch love ranking things – “favoriete stroopwafel” is serious talk |
| Swedish | favorit | Used daily; Swedes have a word “favorit i repris” = favorite rerun (because cozy TV matters) |
| Mandarin Chinese | 最喜欢的 (zuì xǐhuān de) | “the most liked” – emphasis on comparison; also 心头好 (xīntóu hǎo) = “treasure at the heart” |
| Japanese | 一番好きな (ichiban suki na) | “number-one liked”; Japanese culture loves ranking – from ramen shops to anime characters |
| Korean | 제일 좋아하는 (jeil joahaneun) | “most liked”; K-pop fans scream “my ultimate bias!” which is basically this concept on steroids |
| Hindi | पसंदीदा (pasandīda) | Borrowed from Persian; also प्रिय (priya) = beloved, used for people more than things |
| Arabic | المفضل (al-mufaddal) | “the preferred one”; Levantine dialects often say حبيبي (habibi) even for objects ironically |
| Swahili | favorite / kipendi | Swahili happily borrows “favorite,” but traditional is -pendwa zaidi = “most beloved” |
| Zulu | intandokazi | “the one that is loved most” – used for people, places, even soccer teams |
| Yoruba | ayanfẹ́ | “the chosen one” – carries a sense of destiny, often used romantically |
| Māori | tino pai rawa atu | “really really good” – understatement is a Māori art form |
| Hawaiian | punahele | Originally “chosen with love”; now used for everything from shave ice flavors to children |
| Cherokee | ᎠᏆᏤᎢ ᎦᏔᏅᎢ (aquatse’i gatanv’i) | “the one my heart holds onto” – poetic and deeply spiritual |
| Samoan | e sili ona fiafia i | “the one that gives the most joy” – joy is central in Polynesian cultures |
(Yes, I stopped at 20 for readability, but there are thousands more – every language has its own heartbeat.)
European Languages
In Europe, “favorite” often comes down to preference with flair.
The Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese) inherited the Latin praefere “to carry before” the idea that your favorite is the one you mentally place in front of everything else. You’ll hear a Spaniard argue for hours about their cantante favorito with the same passion they defend their soccer team. In Italy, saying “È il mio dolce preferito” while eating tiramisu isn’t just opinion it feels like a love letter.
Northern Europe gets more compound and cozy. German’s Lieblings- prefix is so beloved that people have Lieblingsjeans (favorite jeans that are basically family). Scandinavians keep it democratic everyone has a favoritfärg (favorite color) and nobody judges you if it’s brown.
Asian Languages
Asia loves hierarchy, and “favorite” is often about declaring your Number One in a world full of options.
In Mandarin, you can be practical with 最喜欢的 or poetic with 心头好 – literally “the good thing at the tip of my heart. Korean takes this to another level: K pop fans don’t just have favorites, they have an “ultimate bias” and a “bias wrecker” who threatens to dethrone them. It’s emotional whiplash wrapped in glitter.
In India, Hindi speakers might use पसंदीदा for objects but switch to प्रिय or प्रेमिका for people because some favorites cross from preference into sacred territory.
African Languages
Across the continent, “favorite” often carries weightier connotations than mere liking.
In Yoruba, calling someone ayanfẹ́ isn’t casual it means “the one chosen by destiny.” Zulu’s intandokazi started as a term for a favorite child or wife and still carries that warmth. Swahili, the great connector language, simply borrowed “favorite” but older speakers prefer expressions built on the root penda (to love), reminding us that liking something deeply is inseparable from love.
Indigenous & Island Languages
Perhaps the most beautiful versions come from indigenous and island cultures, where “favorite” is rarely superficial.
Today you’ll hear kids yelling about their punahele Pokémon, and the word still sparkles with that original tenderness. Cherokee’s phrase translates roughly to “the one my heart holds onto,” which feels like a prayer. Māori often sidestep direct translation and just say something is tino pai rawa atu “really, really good” because understatement is its own kind of reverence.
Cultural Insights & Evolution
The concept of having a “favorite” is surprisingly modern in some places. Ancient Greek had philtaton (most beloved), but many early societies didn’t rank pleasures the way we do everything had its proper place ordained by gods or tradition. The idea of personal favorites exploded with individualism during the Renaissance and again with consumer culture in the 20th century.
Yet some things never change. Across continents, your “favorite” is still the one you’d save first in a fire, the song you play when you’re alone in the car and can finally cry, the person whose name makes you smile before you even know why.
Proverbs & Sayings About Favorites
- Spanish: “Sobre gustos no hay nada escrito” – There’s nothing written about tastes (everyone’s favorite is valid).
- Japanese: “Ten people, ten colors” (十人十色) – ten people, ten favorite colors.
- Yoruba: “Orí ló máa ńyàn ẹni” – It’s destiny that chooses your favorite (loosely translated).
- English: “The favorite child always gets the biggest piece of chicken.”
FAQs :
Why do so many languages use a version of “favorite/favorito”?
Because they all inherited it from Latin favoritus (“favored”). The Roman concept of favor spread with the Empire and the Church.
What’s the oldest known word for “favorite” that we still use?
Sanskrit प्रिय (priya) – “beloved/dear” – appears in the Rig Veda
Are there cultures that don’t have a direct word for “favorite”?
Some! Certain Australian Aboriginal languages traditionally avoided ranking people or objects to maintain group harmony. Everything beautiful was simply “beautiful.”
Conclusion
Every time you say “This is my favorite,” you’re doing something ancient and tender. You’re drawing a tiny circle around one piece of the universe and whispering, “You. I choose you.”
So tell me in the comments:What’s YOUR favorite (song, food, place, memory, word) right now?
Luna-Gracelyn, the creative mind behind Lingoow.com, writes with passion and clarity.
As a professional author, she simplifies complex topics for readers worldwide.
Her work inspires, educates, and connects people through powerful, easy-to-understand content.
