German Sign Language (DGS)

German Sign Language (Deutsche Gebärdensprache, DGS) is a fully independent language, grammatically unrelated to spoken German and built entirely around handshape, movement, facial expression, and space. Around 200,000 people in Germany use it, and since 2002, it has held official legal status under the Federal Disability Equality Act, giving Deaf citizens the right to a DGS interpreter when dealing with public authorities.

DGS uses a two-handed alphabet, and its vocabulary shifts noticeably by region, a legacy of the local Deaf schools and communities where it developed long before any national standard existed. Signapse partners with Deaf DGS experts to bring accurate, real-time translation to streams, signage and live events across Germany and beyond. From public broadcasting to universities and the workplace, we help organisations meet DGS users with signing that’s authentic, not generalised.