How to read this chart: a dot (.) is one unit of signal and a dash (-) is three. Write letters with one space between them and words with a spaced slash, so SOS is ... --- ... and HI MOM is .... .. / -- --- --.
Letters A to Z in Morse code
Each row answers the question "what is this letter in Morse code?" The third column spells the signals out for reading aloud.
| Letter | Morse code | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| A | .- | A in Morse code is dot dash. |
| B | -... | B in Morse code is dash dot dot dot. |
| C | -.-. | C in Morse code is dash dot dash dot. |
| D | -.. | D in Morse code is dash dot dot. |
| E | . | E in Morse code is dot. |
| F | ..-. | F in Morse code is dot dot dash dot. |
| G | --. | G in Morse code is dash dash dot. |
| H | .... | H in Morse code is dot dot dot dot. |
| I | .. | I in Morse code is dot dot. |
| J | .--- | J in Morse code is dot dash dash dash. |
| K | -.- | K in Morse code is dash dot dash. |
| L | .-.. | L in Morse code is dot dash dot dot. |
| M | -- | M in Morse code is dash dash. |
| N | -. | N in Morse code is dash dot. |
| O | --- | O in Morse code is dash dash dash. |
| P | .--. | P in Morse code is dot dash dash dot. |
| Q | --.- | Q in Morse code is dash dash dot dash. |
| R | .-. | R in Morse code is dot dash dot. |
| S | ... | S in Morse code is dot dot dot. |
| T | - | T in Morse code is dash. |
| U | ..- | U in Morse code is dot dot dash. |
| V | ...- | V in Morse code is dot dot dot dash. |
| W | .-- | W in Morse code is dot dash dash. |
| X | -..- | X in Morse code is dash dot dot dash. |
| Y | -.-- | Y in Morse code is dash dot dash dash. |
| Z | --.. | Z in Morse code is dash dash dot dot. |
Numbers 0 to 9 in Morse code
Digits always use five signals. Counting from 1, dots are replaced by dashes from the left; 0 is five dashes.
| Digit | Morse code | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | .---- | 1 in Morse code is dot dash dash dash dash. |
| 2 | ..--- | 2 in Morse code is dot dot dash dash dash. |
| 3 | ...-- | 3 in Morse code is dot dot dot dash dash. |
| 4 | ....- | 4 in Morse code is dot dot dot dot dash. |
| 5 | ..... | 5 in Morse code is dot dot dot dot dot. |
| 6 | -.... | 6 in Morse code is dash dot dot dot dot. |
| 7 | --... | 7 in Morse code is dash dash dot dot dot. |
| 8 | ---.. | 8 in Morse code is dash dash dash dot dot. |
| 9 | ----. | 9 in Morse code is dash dash dash dash dot. |
| 0 | ----- | 0 in Morse code is dash dash dash dash dash. |
Punctuation in Morse code
These are the punctuation marks defined by the ITU standard. The fraction bar -..-. is a character; a slash written with spaces around it is only a word separator in text.
| Mark | Morse code |
|---|---|
| Period . | .-.-.- |
| Comma , | --..-- |
| Colon : | ---... |
| Question mark ? | ..--.. |
| Apostrophe ’ | .----. |
| Hyphen - | -....- |
| Fraction bar / | -..-. |
| Left bracket ( | -.--. |
| Right bracket ) | -.--.- |
| Quotation marks " | .-..-. |
| Equals = | -...- |
| Cross + | .-.-. |
| Multiplication × | -..- |
| Commercial at @ | .--.-. |
Common words in Morse code
| Word | Morse code |
|---|---|
| SOS | ... --- ... |
| HELLO | .... . .-.. .-.. --- |
| HELP | .... . .-.. .--. |
| YES | -.-- . ... |
| NO | -. --- |
| OK | --- -.- |
| HI | .... .. |
| LOVE | .-.. --- ...- . |
| I LOVE YOU | .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- |
| STAY | ... - .- -.-- |
| THANK YOU | - .... .- -. -.- / -.-- --- ..- |
SOS is sent in real signalling as one unbroken group with no letter gaps; it is written here with spaces so each letter stays visible. Use the translator to convert any other word, play it as sound, or flash it as light.
Timing and spacing rules
- Dot: one unit. Dash: three units.
- Between signals in a letter: one unit of silence.
- Between letters: three units. Between words: seven units.
- In text: one space between letters, a spaced slash between words.
The International Morse code guide explains the standard, its history, and the difference between ITU characters and unofficial extensions.
Morse code alphabet FAQ
How do I read the Morse code alphabet?
Each letter is a short group of dots and dashes. Inside a letter the signals are separated by a one-unit gap, letters by a three-unit gap, and words by a seven-unit gap. In writing, that becomes one space between letters and a spaced slash between words, so HELLO WORLD is .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..
What is the difference between a dot and a dash?
A dot is one unit of signal and a dash is three units. The same code works as sound, light, or text as long as those relative lengths and the gaps between them are kept.
Are Morse code numbers always five signals?
Yes. Every digit from 0 to 9 uses exactly five signals in International Morse code: 1 is .---- with one dot, 5 is ..... with five dots, and 0 is ----- with five dashes. That fixed length makes numbers easy to recognise.
Is there Morse code for punctuation?
The ITU standard defines codes for the period, comma, colon, question mark, apostrophe, hyphen, fraction bar, brackets, quotation marks, equals sign, cross, multiplication sign, and commercial at. Other symbols circulating online, such as the exclamation mark, are conventions rather than part of the standard.
Is Morse code the same in every language?
International Morse code covers the basic Latin letters, digits, and the ITU punctuation set. Languages with accented or non-Latin scripts use national extensions, and there is no standard code for emoji or most Unicode symbols.
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