Morse Code Alphabet: The Complete Chart

What Morse code is

Morse code encodes each letter, number and punctuation mark as a sequence of short signals (dots, “·”) and long signals (dashes, “−”). It was created in the 1830s–40s for the electrical telegraph and is still used today in aviation, amateur radio and emergency signalling because it’s simple and reliable.

How to read it

A dot is a short beep; a dash is about three times as long. Within a letter, signals are separated by a tiny gap; letters are separated by a longer gap (shown as a space in text); and words are separated by a “/”. For example, “SOS” is · · · / − − − / · · ·, three short, three long, three short.

Tips for learning Morse code

Start with the most common letters (E is a single dot, T is a single dash) and learn by sound rather than by sight — the rhythm is easier to memorise than the written symbols. Practise short words first, and use our translator to check yourself as you go.

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