International Morse Code: Communicating Through Dots and Dashes

Almost everyone knows that International Morse code is a communication system consisting of dots and dashes. But what is it exactly? How was it born? And what do the different patterns mean? In this article, we will walk you through everything that you need to know about modern-day Morse code. We'll show you a Morse code chart, explain the Morse code alphabet, and tell you how to say I love you in Morse code!

International Morse code defines a unique pattern for each digit from 0 to 9 and each letter of the English alphabet, as well as a few punctuation marks. These patterns, or codes, are made up of two signals — one short, and one a little bit longer. The signals, which were once sent via telegraph, were created by a wave of current, which was controlled by opening and closing the circuit.

When put in writing, the short signal is represented by a dot (read dit), while a dash represents the long one (read dah). Let's look at a few examples:

• E is .
• T is –
• Q is ––.–
• and so on…

As you can see, the most commonly used letters, like E and T, have a straightforward pattern, while the uncommon ones, such as Q, have longer codes. Fascinating, isn't it? This makes Morse code extremely efficient, and is the reason why it was adopted internationally.

If you want to decode a message in Morse code, use our Morse code translator!

The three Morse codes

Did you know that Morse code wasn't always like that? Created by Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse in the mid-1800s, American Morse code employed dissimilar patterns, sometimes accompanied by small gaps between the dahs and dits. This proved a bit awkward and cumbersome, and the International Telegraph Union resolved to create a less complicated version — and so International Morse code came into being!

Then, there is also Continental Morse code, which was once commonly used in Europe. It is mostly the same as International Morse code, with only minor differences — for example, A in Continental Morse code is represented by a dot and a dash (.-). In contrast, in International Morse code, it's one singular dot (.).

As we have already established, Morse code defines a unique succession of dots and dashes for each digit, letter, and punctuation mark. If you're asking yourself, "What does .–.. mean in Morse code?" or "How do I say 'I love you' in Morse code?", we have prepared a Morse code chart that you can use as a quick reference.

The Morse alphabet

Digits in Morse code

Punctuation in Morse code

Prosigns in Morse code

Using the Morse code alphabet might seem simple at first glance — at the end of the day, it's just a mix of well-defined patterns of dots and dashes. What's complicated about it?

Well, once you start trying to read Morse code, you'll see it's not that simple. When trying to learn how to read Morse code, you have to remember two things:

• Watch out for the pauses: Within one character, the pauses between the dots and dashes are minimal. The pauses between individual letters are slightly longer, and those between words are even longer than that. At first, you might not even hear the difference — it takes time to master the pauses.
• Do not memorize it by heart: Most try to memorize the codes by heart, but later end up discovering that that's not the way you memorize Morse code. Do not memorize the patterns, but keep practicing. You will find it a whole lot easier later.

If you're going to be studying Morse code, take a look at our Morse code practice guide!

SOS in Morse code and other standard signals

Virtually everyone knows the universal distress signal, SOS. But do you know its pattern in Morse code? Look at the Morse code chart that we have seen just above — S is ... and O is –––.

Therefore, the full SOS signal in Morse code will be ... ––– ...

Let's look at other signals in Morse code:

• CQ [–.–. ––.–] — This signal was a smart way to say "seek you". Radio and telegraph operators used it to start a general call back in the day — it was their way of saying, "I'm about to transmit, be prepared to receive."

• I love you — Although this phrase probably wasn't often transmitted using Morse code, nowadays, many people wonder how to say I love you in Morse code. Putting all the letters together, we obtain the following pattern: .. .–.. ––– ...– . –.–– ––– ..–

  It would've definitely been cute to hear someone confess their love over a general frequency. 🥰

• Prosigns and abbreviations — Over time, radio operators developed certain habits; their own slang that they would use to make communication both faster and easier. For example, as we have seen in the Morse code chart, ...–.– is a prosign for end of message. Apart from prosigns, simple abbreviations were created, such as YL [–.–– .–..] for young lady, and 73 [––... ...––] for best regards.