Common Morse Code Words & Phrases
The words people most want to send in Morse — greetings, emergencies, everyday replies, and the classic ham-radio shorthand. Copy any of them into the translator to hear them out loud.
Once you know the alphabet, whole words are just letters strung together with a short gap between each one and a longer gap between words. Below are the most useful ones to know by heart. Dots are shown as · and dashes as –; the space between groups is the gap between letters.
Greetings & friendly words
Emergency & help
| Word | Morse code |
|---|---|
| SOS | ··· ––– ··· |
| HELP | ···· · ·–·· ·––· |
| HELP ME | ···· · ·–·· ·––· / –– · |
| YES | –·–– · ··· |
| NO | –· ––– |
| OK | ––– –·– |
SOS is the one to memorise first — see the full guide on SOS & emergency signals. Each linked word above also has its own in-depth page with the letter-by-letter breakdown, sound guide, and memory tricks.
Love & celebrations
| Phrase | Morse code |
|---|---|
| LOVE | ·–·· ––– ···– · |
| I LOVE YOU | ·· / ·–·· ––– ···– · / –·–– ––– ··– |
| HAPPY BIRTHDAY | ···· ·– ·––· ·––· –·–– / –··· ·· ·–· – ···· –·· ·– –·–– |
Ham radio shorthand
Amateur radio operators use a compact shorthand to save time — a habit that grew out of the telegraph era, as our history of Morse code explains. A few classics:
| Code | Meaning | Morse |
|---|---|---|
| CQ | Calling any station | –·–· ––·– |
| 73 | Best regards | ––··· ···–– |
| 88 | Love and kisses | –––·· –––·· |
| DE | "From" (this is) | –·· · |
| OM | Old man (fellow operator) | ––– –– |
Hear & practice any word
Type any word from this page into the translator and press Play, or use the interactive chart to build it letter by letter. New to the code? Start with how to learn Morse code, or if it's for a younger learner, try Morse code for kids. Browse more guides on the blog, or learn about our mission.
Tips for sending words smoothly
- Keep an even rhythm — steady timing is easier to read than raw speed.
- Leave a clear gap (about three dots long) between letters and a longer one (seven) between words.
- Practice whole words, not single letters, so your hand and ear learn the flow.
- Use the translator's Farnsworth setting to keep letters crisp while you build up speed.
Send your first word in Morse
Type a name, a greeting, or "I love you" and hear it in dots and dashes — free.
Open the translator →