Morse Code Alphabet
The complete International Morse code chart: letters A–Z, numbers 0–9 and punctuation, with a play button to hear each character.
Each character is a short sequence of dots (dits) and dashes (dahs). Common letters such as E and T have the shortest codes. Press ▶ to hear a character at 15 words per minute (), or open the Morse code translator to convert whole messages.
Letters A–Z
| Character | Code | Sound | Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | •− | di-dah | |
| B | −••• | dah-di-di-dit | |
| C | −•−• | dah-di-dah-dit | |
| D | −•• | dah-di-dit | |
| E | • | dit | |
| F | ••−• | di-di-dah-dit | |
| G | −−• | dah-dah-dit | |
| H | •••• | di-di-di-dit | |
| I | •• | di-dit | |
| J | •−−− | di-dah-dah-dah | |
| K | −•− | dah-di-dah | |
| L | •−•• | di-dah-di-dit | |
| M | −− | dah-dah | |
| N | −• | dah-dit | |
| O | −−− | dah-dah-dah | |
| P | •−−• | di-dah-dah-dit | |
| Q | −−•− | dah-dah-di-dah | |
| R | •−• | di-dah-dit | |
| S | ••• | di-di-dit | |
| T | − | dah | |
| U | ••− | di-di-dah | |
| V | •••− | di-di-di-dah | |
| W | •−− | di-dah-dah | |
| X | −••− | dah-di-di-dah | |
| Y | −•−− | dah-di-dah-dah | |
| Z | −−•• | dah-dah-di-dit |
Numbers 0–9
Every digit has five symbols: 1 to 5 start with dots and add dashes, 6 to 0 start with dashes and add dots, so the numbers are easy to learn as a pattern.
| Character | Code | Sound | Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | −−−−− | dah-dah-dah-dah-dah | |
| 1 | •−−−− | di-dah-dah-dah-dah | |
| 2 | ••−−− | di-di-dah-dah-dah | |
| 3 | •••−− | di-di-di-dah-dah | |
| 4 | ••••− | di-di-di-di-dah | |
| 5 | ••••• | di-di-di-di-dit | |
| 6 | −•••• | dah-di-di-di-dit | |
| 7 | −−••• | dah-dah-di-di-dit | |
| 8 | −−−•• | dah-dah-dah-di-dit | |
| 9 | −−−−• | dah-dah-dah-dah-dit |
Punctuation and symbols
| Character | Code | Sound | Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| . (Period) | •−•−•− | di-dah-di-dah-di-dah | |
| , (Comma) | −−••−− | dah-dah-di-di-dah-dah | |
| ? (Question mark) | ••−−•• | di-di-dah-dah-di-dit | |
| ' (Apostrophe) | •−−−−• | di-dah-dah-dah-dah-dit | |
| ! (Exclamation mark) | −•−•−− | dah-di-dah-di-dah-dah | |
| / (Slash) | −••−• | dah-di-di-dah-dit | |
| ( (Open parenthesis) | −•−−• | dah-di-dah-dah-dit | |
| ) (Close parenthesis) | −•−−•− | dah-di-dah-dah-di-dah | |
| & (Ampersand) | •−••• | di-dah-di-di-dit | |
| : (Colon) | −−−••• | dah-dah-dah-di-di-dit | |
| ; (Semicolon) | −•−•−• | dah-di-dah-di-dah-dit | |
| = (Equals sign) | −•••− | dah-di-di-di-dah | |
| + (Plus sign) | •−•−• | di-dah-di-dah-dit | |
| - (Hyphen) | −••••− | dah-di-di-di-di-dah | |
| _ (Underscore) | ••−−•− | di-di-dah-dah-di-dah | |
| " (Quotation mark) | •−••−• | di-dah-di-di-dah-dit | |
| $ (Dollar sign) | •••−••− | di-di-di-dah-di-di-dah | |
| @ (At sign) | •−−•−• | di-dah-dah-di-dah-dit |
Morse code timing
Morse is a rhythm, not just a set of symbols. The International Telecommunication Union standard (Recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1) defines everything in units: a dot lasts one unit and a dash three. The silence inside a letter is one unit, the gap between letters three units and the gap between words seven units. Faster senders shorten the unit; the proportions stay the same.
How to read the chart
- • is a dot, said “di” (or “dit” at the end of a letter).
- − is a dash, said “dah”.
- When you write Morse as text, separate letters with a space and words with a slash, for example
.... ..for HI.
Frequently asked questions
How many letters are in the Morse code alphabet?
International Morse code has a code for each of the 26 letters A to Z, the 10 digits and a set of punctuation marks. This page lists every character our Morse translator supports.
What is the easiest way to learn Morse code?
Learn by sound rather than by reading dots and dashes: play each letter, say it out loud as dits and dahs, and practise a few letters at a time. Start with short codes such as E (•), T (−), I, A, N and M, then add the rest.
What is SOS in Morse code?
SOS is • • • − − − • • • (three dots, three dashes, three dots), sent as one continuous signal without the usual gaps between letters.
How long is a dot and a dash?
Morse timing is based on one unit: a dot is 1 unit, a dash is 3 units, the gap inside a letter is 1 unit, between letters 3 units and between words 7 units. The unit length depends on the sending speed.
Are there lowercase letters in Morse code?
No. Morse code has no upper or lower case, so A and a are sent the same way.
Can I translate a whole message?
Yes. Use the Morse code translator to turn text into Morse and back, play it as sound or download it as a WAV file.