The morse code alphabet is a simple way to represent letters, numbers, and common characters with dots and dashes. Use this guide when you need a quick morse code chart, a printable-style morse code table, or a clear explanation before using a Morse Code Translator.
In International Morse Code, each English letter from A to Z has its own dot-and-dash pattern. A dot is written as . and a dash is written as -.
| Letter | Morse Code |
|---|---|
| A | .- |
| B | -... |
| C | -.-. |
| S | ... |
| O | --- |
| T | - |
Example:
SOS = ... --- ...
This means S is three dots, O is three dashes, and S is three dots again.
This morse code alphabet chart covers all standard English letters. It is also useful for searches like morse code j, morse code t, morse code k, n in morse code, morse code letter r, morse code v, and letters in morse code.
| Letter | Morse Code | Spoken Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| A | .- |
dit-dah |
| B | -... |
dah-dit-dit-dit |
| C | -.-. |
dah-dit-dah-dit |
| D | -.. |
dah-dit-dit |
| E | . |
dit |
| F | ..-. |
dit-dit-dah-dit |
| G | --. |
dah-dah-dit |
| H | .... |
dit-dit-dit-dit |
| I | .. |
dit-dit |
| J | .--- |
dit-dah-dah-dah |
| K | -.- |
dah-dit-dah |
| L | .-.. |
dit-dah-dit-dit |
| M | -- |
dah-dah |
| N | -. |
dah-dit |
| O | --- |
dah-dah-dah |
| P | .--. |
dit-dah-dah-dit |
| Q | --.- |
dah-dah-dit-dah |
| R | .-. |
dit-dah-dit |
| S | ... |
dit-dit-dit |
| T | - |
dah |
| U | ..- |
dit-dit-dah |
| V | ...- |
dit-dit-dit-dah |
| W | .-- |
dit-dah-dah |
| X | -..- |
dah-dit-dit-dah |
| Y | -.-- |
dah-dit-dah-dah |
| Z | --.. |
dah-dah-dit-dit |
A complete alphabet in morse code guide should include numbers because real messages often contain dates, callsigns, puzzle clues, or short IDs.
| Number | Morse Code |
|---|---|
| 0 | ----- |
| 1 | .---- |
| 2 | ..--- |
| 3 | ...-- |
| 4 | ....- |
| 5 | ..... |
| 6 | -.... |
| 7 | --... |
| 8 | ---.. |
| 9 | ----. |
Common punctuation:
| Character | Morse Code |
|---|---|
| Period | .-.-.- |
| Comma | --..-- |
| Question mark | ..--.. |
| Slash | -..-. |
| Apostrophe | .----. |
| At sign | .--.-. |
For most beginners, the morse code letters and numbers are enough. Add punctuation only when you need full sentences.
Read each morse character from left to right. A dot is short, and a dash is longer. In timing terms, a dash lasts about three times as long as a dot.
| Symbol | Meaning | Length |
|---|---|---|
. |
dot or dit | 1 unit |
- |
dash or dah | 3 units |
Examples:
A = .-
N = -.
R = .-.
K = -.-
These patterns look similar at first. Use the chart for lookup, then practice by sound so you can recognize whole letters instead of counting every mark.
Spacing is the difference between readable morse code and a confusing string of dots and dashes.
| Gap Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Short gap | Between dots and dashes inside one letter |
| Medium gap | Between letters |
| Long gap | Between words |
When writing morse code online, use one space between letters and a slash between words.
HELLO = .... . .-.. .-.. ---
HELLO WORLD = .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..
Bad example:
......-...-..---
Good example:
.... . .-.. .-.. ---
Example:
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Text | CODE |
| Letters | C O D E |
| Morse | -.-. --- -.. . |
Start with the shortest and most common patterns. This small morse code cheat sheet is easier to memorize than the full table at once.
| Common Letter | Morse Code |
|---|---|
| E | . |
| T | - |
| A | .- |
| N | -. |
| I | .. |
| M | -- |
| S | ... |
| O | --- |
| R | .-. |
| K | -.- |
Practice words:
| Word | Morse Code |
|---|---|
| HI | .... .. |
| CAT | -.-. .- - |
| DOG | -.. --- --. |
| LOVE | .-.. --- ...- . |
| CODE | -.-. --- -.. . |
If you searched for morris code chart, morris code alphabet, or morse alphabet, you probably want this International Morse Code chart.
Do not remove spaces between letters. Without spacing, a decoder cannot reliably tell where one letter ends and the next begins.
Do not confuse similar patterns. For example, D is -.., G is --., B is -..., and V is ...-.
Do not learn only by sight if your goal is listening. A morse chart is useful for lookup, but audio practice helps you recognize letters faster.
Do not assume every symbol has a standard code. Emojis, many non-Latin letters, and rare symbols may need transliteration or may not translate cleanly.
Do not use American Morse unless you specifically need historical railroad Morse. Most modern pages use International Morse Code.
After you understand the alphabet morse code chart, use the Morse Code Translator to check real messages. It can convert English to Morse code, decode Morse code back to text, and help you confirm whether your spacing is correct.
Try these next:
The morse code alphabet is a standardized mapping of letters to dot-and-dash sequences. In International Morse Code, A-Z each has a unique code.
A in Morse code is .-. It is spoken as dit-dah.
N in Morse code is -.. It is spoken as dah-dit.
T in Morse code is one dash: -.
J in Morse code is .---. It is spoken as dit-dah-dah-dah.
R in Morse code is .-.. It is spoken as dit-dah-dit.
The basic A-Z and 0-9 mappings are part of International Morse Code and are widely recognized. Some languages use extra characters or transliteration.
When writing Morse online, use a slash between words. For example, MORSE CODE becomes -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. ..
Yes. Numbers 0-9 have their own patterns, such as ----- for 0 and .---- for 1.
You can, but it is easier to start with common letters like E, T, A, N, I, M, S, and O. Then use a morse alphabet translator or decoder to check practice words.
The morse code alphabet is the foundation for reading and writing Morse. Start with the A-Z chart, learn spacing rules, practice short words, and use the Morse Code Translator whenever you want to verify or decode a message quickly.
Use the homepage morse code translator to convert text, decode dots and dashes, play audio, and verify spacing before you share a message.