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MorseBeep

Morse Code Alphabet

The Morse code alphabet gives every letter a short pattern of dots and dashes: E is a single dot (.), T is a single dash (-) and A is dot dash (.-). Tap any letter to hear it, or print the chart.

Speed, tone and volume

Speed is in words per minute using the standard word PARIS (one dot lasts 1200 ÷ WPM milliseconds). Farnsworth spacing keeps each letter at full speed and adds longer gaps between letters and words, which is easier for learners. Set it equal to the speed to switch it off.

Morse code letters A to Z

Morse code numbers 0 to 9

Punctuation and symbols

* Widely used but not part of the ITU standard. The ampersand shares its code with the prosign AS (wait).

Prosigns (procedural signals)

Prosigns are sent as one run of dots and dashes with no gap between the letters. They are written with a line over the letters, or in angle brackets like <SK>, which is how you type them in the translator.

Accented letters

É is the only accented letter in the ITU standard. The others below come from European telegraph practice and are still understood by many operators. Other accented letters are sent as the plain letter.

How to remember the Morse code alphabet

Most people who learn their Morse code ABCs well learn them by sound, not by sight. Say a dot as "dit" and a dash as "dah", so A is "di dah" and C is "dah di dah dit". Tapping the letters above and saying them out loud works better than staring at the chart.

Start with the shortest letters

E (.), T (-), I (..), M (--), A (.-), N (-.), S (...) and O (---) are the eight shortest codes. They cover many common words, and every longer letter is built from the same pieces.

Learn the mirror pairs

Some letters are another letter read backwards. Learn one and you have both:

Numbers follow one rule

Every number has five symbols. From 1 to 5, count the dots at the start: 1 is .----, 4 is ....-. From 6 to 9, count the dashes at the start and add five: 6 is -...., 8 is ---... Zero is five dashes.

Why E is a dot and Q is long

The code was designed so that common letters are quick to send. Alfred Vail, who worked with Samuel Morse, is said to have judged how common each letter was by counting the type in a printer's case. That is why E and T are a single symbol and rare letters like Q, J and Y are among the longest.

Want the details of dot length, gaps and speed? Read how Morse code works. To turn whole sentences into Morse, use the Morse code translator.

Frequently asked questions

How many letters are in the Morse code alphabet?

There are 26 letters in Morse code (A to Z), plus 10 numbers (0 to 9) and a set of punctuation marks and procedural signals in International Morse code. There are no capital or small letters: A and a are the same code.

Which letter is a single dot?

E is a single dot (.) and T is a single dash (-). They are the most common letters in English, so they were given the shortest codes.

Which Morse code letters take the longest to send?

J (.---), Q (--.-) and Y (-.--) each take 13 units of time, the longest of the 26 letters. The numbers are longer still: every number has five symbols, and 0 (-----) takes 19 units.

What is the Morse code for numbers?

Every number is five symbols. 1 to 5 start with dots: the number of dots tells you the number (3 is ...--). 6 to 9 start with dashes: 7 is --... (two dashes, then dots). 0 is five dashes.

How do I print the Morse code alphabet?

Press Print or save as PDF above the chart. The page prints as a clean chart without the menus and buttons. To get an image instead, press Download PNG.

Is this the same Morse code used by radio amateurs?

Yes. The chart follows International Morse code as defined by the ITU in Recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1. A few common signs that are not in that standard, such as the exclamation mark, are marked on the chart.