To read Morse code, split the signals into letters at each short gap, and into words at each longer gap or slash. Then match each group of dots and dashes to a letter. .... .. splits into .... (H) and .. (I), so it reads HI.
The five timing rules
Everything in Morse code is measured in one unit: the length of a dot.
| Part | Length | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dot (dit) | 1 unit | the single signal in E |
| Dash (dah) | 3 units | the single signal in T |
| Gap inside a letter | 1 unit | between the dot and dash of A |
| Gap between letters | 3 units | between H and I in HI |
| Gap between words | 7 units | between HI and THERE |
On paper these gaps become a single space between letters and a slash between words. That is the format this site's translator uses, and the one you will see most often online.
Reading Morse code on paper
Work in this order and you will not get lost:
- Find the words. Split the message at every slash (or wide gap).
- Find the letters. Inside each word, split at every single space.
- Look up each letter. Use the alphabet chart. Count dots and dashes carefully: ... is S, but .... is H.
- Read it back. If a word does not make sense, a space is usually missing or misplaced.
Worked example
Here is a short message to decode: -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .
- Words: -- --- .-. ... . and -.-. --- -.. .
- First word: -- M, --- O, .-. R, ... S, . E → MORSE
- Second word: -.-. C, --- O, -.. D, . E → CODE
Open “-- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .” in the translator
When spacing is missing
Codes copied from social media or puzzles are often written with underscores and uneven spaces, like _._ _ _. Read each space as the end of a letter: _._ is K, and each lone _ is T, so this reads KTT. If that makes no sense, the writer may have meant the spaces only as visual separation, and the signals belong together as one code. Try both readings in the translator: it accepts underscores, long dashes and dots like · or •.
Writing Morse code
- Use a full stop
.for a dot and a hyphen-for a dash. - Put one space between letters and a slash with a space on each side
/between words. - Write numbers digit by digit: 2026 is ..--- ----- ..--- -.....
- Morse code has no lowercase. Capital and small letters are sent the same way.
- Leave out characters with no Morse code, such as
#or%. Spell out symbols if needed ("percent").
Reading Morse code by ear
Reading by sound is a different skill from reading on paper, and it is what operators mean by "knowing Morse".
- Learn sounds, not pictures. Think of A as "di-dah", not "dot dash". Counting dots and dashes in your head is too slow above about 5 words per minute.
- Practise at full character speed. Set the translator to 15–20 WPM per character, then lower the overall speed (the Farnsworth setting) to 5–10 WPM. Each letter sounds the way it will at full speed, with extra thinking time between letters.
- Write the letter, not the code. When practising, write down the letter you hear. If you miss one, leave a gap and keep going.
- Practise little and often. Ten to fifteen minutes a day works better than one long session.
Is Morse code hard to learn?
Most people can recognise the whole alphabet on paper in a few days. Reading it by ear takes longer: learners commonly need several weeks of short daily practice to read slow conversations, and a few months to reach 15–20 words per minute. The biggest factor is regular practice, not age or musical ability.