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Translating Morse code
Morse code represents each letter as a sequence of dots and dashes. It was the backbone of long-distance communication for a century, and it is still used in aviation beacons, amateur radio and emergency signalling because it survives noise that would defeat speech. This translator converts plain text to Morse and Morse back to text.
How to use the Morse Code Translator
- Type plain text to get Morse code.
- Or paste Morse — dots and dashes — to decode it.
- Separate letters with spaces and words with a forward slash.
- The translation updates as you type.
Formula and a worked example
Letters separated by a space · words separated by ' / '
A dash is three times the length of a dot
The code was designed around letter frequency in English: E, the commonest letter, is a single dot, while rare letters like Q take four symbols. That is why Morse is faster to send than a fixed-length code would be.
Worked example
SOS is ... --- ... — three dots, three dashes, three dots. HELLO WORLD becomes .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -...
Frequently asked questions
What does SOS stand for?
Nothing. It was chosen purely because ...---... is unmistakable and easy to send under stress. The 'save our souls' reading came later.
How are words separated in Morse?
By a gap equal to seven dot-lengths, written here as a forward slash. Letters are separated by a gap of three.
Is Morse code still used?
Yes — amateur radio operators use it daily, and aviation navigation beacons still identify themselves in Morse.
Can Morse handle numbers and punctuation?
Yes. Digits use five symbols each, and common punctuation has defined sequences.
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