To write a word in Morse code, translate each letter to its dots and dashes and leave a gap between letters; a longer gap separates words. For example HELLO is .... . .-.. .-.. ---. The most-searched words are below with copy-ready codes, and you can hear or generate any of them with the Morse code translator. If you want the full letter-by-letter reference first, see the Morse code alphabet chart.
TL;DR
- SOS =
... --- ...(sent as one group, no gaps). - HI =
.... ..OK =--- -.-HELP =.... . .-.. .--. - HELLO =
.... . .-.. .-.. --- - Leave a 3-unit gap between letters and a 7-unit gap between words.
Common Words in Morse Code
A slash (/) marks a word space where a phrase has more than one word.
| Word | Morse code |
|---|---|
| HI | .... .. |
| OK | --- -.- |
| SOS | ... --- ... |
| HELP | .... . .-.. .--. |
| HELLO | .... . .-.. .-.. --- |
| YES | -.-- . ... |
| NO | -. --- |
| LOVE | .-.. --- ...- . |
| MOM | -- --- -- |
| DAD | -.. .- -.. |
| THANK YOU | - .... .- -. -.- / -.-- --- ..- |
| BYE | -... -.-- . |
| I LOVE YOU | .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- |
Letter by Letter: HELLO and HELP
Every word is just its letters in order. Reading each letter makes the pattern easy to check.
| Letter | Code |
|---|---|
| H | .... |
| E | . |
| L | .-.. |
| L | .-.. |
| O | --- |
So HELLO = .... . .-.. .-.. ---. Swap the final .-.. --- for .--. (the letter P) and you get HELP = .... . .-.. .--..
Why SOS Is Special
SOS is written ...---... with no gaps between the letters, because it is sent as a single prosign rather than three separate letters. That continuous nine-symbol rhythm is easy to recognize even through heavy static, which is exactly why it was adopted as the international distress signal in 1908. SOS does not officially stand for “Save Our Souls” or any other phrase — the pattern was chosen for clarity, and the backronyms came later.
A Few Signals Worth Knowing
- CQ (
-.-. --.-) — a general call meaning “calling any station”, used by radio operators. - 73 (
--... ...--) — amateur-radio shorthand for “best regards”. - MAYDAY is a spoken (voice) distress call, not a Morse signal — on Morse or radiotelegraph the distress signal is SOS.
Tips for Sending Common Words
- Keep your unit length even — a steady slow rhythm reads better than a fast, wobbly one.
- Count the gaps: 1 unit inside a letter, 3 between letters, 7 between words. Most mistakes are gap mistakes, not pattern mistakes.
- Practice hearing whole short words (HI, OK, SOS) as a single sound rather than counting each dot.
FAQ
What is SOS in Morse code?
SOS is ... --- ... — three dots, three dashes, three dots — sent as one continuous group with no gaps between the letters.
How do you write HELLO in Morse code?
HELLO is .... . .-.. .-.. ---: H (....), E (.), L (.-..), L (.-..), O (---), with a short gap between each letter.
What is HI in Morse code?
HI is .... .. — H is four dots and I is two dots. It is one of the shortest real words in Morse.
Is MAYDAY a Morse code signal?
No. MAYDAY is a spoken voice distress call. On Morse code or radiotelegraph, the distress signal is SOS.
Short words are where Morse clicks: once HI, OK and SOS are single sounds in your head rather than strings of dots, you have stopped decoding and started reading.
Generate or play any word with the Morse code translator, get the full letters in the Morse code alphabet chart, or browse more encoders in the tools list.