Morse Code Translator

Two Morse systems

International vs American Morse Code

Most modern Morse is International Morse Code. American (Railroad) Morse was the original 1840s telegraph code and is now historical. This page compares them letter by letter.

How to read the American column

American Morse uses four symbols.

· short dot

– short dash

⌇ long internal gap (one character)

▆ long dash (the letter L)

▇ very long dash (the digit 0)

Letters

A to Z, side by side.

CharacterInternationalAmericanNote
A .- ·– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
B -... –··· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
C -.-. ··⌇· Long internal gap — sent as one character.
D -.. –·· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
E . · Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
F ..-. ·–· Different pattern from International.
G --. ––· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
H .... ···· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
I .. ·· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
J .--- –·–· Different pattern from International.
K -.- –·– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
L .-.. ▆ One long dash.
M -- –– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
N -. –· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
O --- ·⌇· Long internal gap — sent as one character.
P .--. ····· Different pattern from International.
Q --.- ··–· Different pattern from International.
R .-. ·⌇·· Long internal gap — sent as one character.
S ... ··· Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
T - – Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
U ..- ··– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
V ...- ···– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
W .-- ·–– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
X -..- ·–·· Different pattern from International.
Y -.-- ··⌇·· Long internal gap — sent as one character.
Z --.. ···⌇· Long internal gap — sent as one character.
Numbers

0 to 9, side by side.

NumberInternationalAmericanNote
0 ----- ▇ One very long dash.
1 .---- ·––· Different pattern from International.
2 ..--- ··–·· Different pattern from International.
3 ...-- ···–· Different pattern from International.
4 ....- ····– Same shape as International; dashes are shorter.
5 ..... ––– Different pattern from International.
6 -.... ······ Different pattern from International.
7 --... ––·· Different pattern from International.
8 ---.. –···· Different pattern from International.
9 ----. –··– Different pattern from International.
Key differences

Why American Morse sounds different.

American Morse uses a short dash where International uses a longer one, plus two extra dash lengths: a long dash for L and an even longer dash for 0. Five letters — C, O, R, Y, and Z — also contain a long internal gap that turns one character into what sounds like two.

Because of its dense dots and shorter dashes, skilled operators could send American Morse about 20% faster — but the extra timing lengths made mistakes common, a problem nicknamed "hog-Morse." International Morse dropped the internal gaps and long dashes, which made it cleaner for undersea cables and radio and let it become the worldwide standard.

Related tools

Open the next reference.

Morse Code TranslatorConvert text and Morse code in either direction. Letters in Morse CodeOpen A-Z letter pages with copy, audio, and pronunciation. Morse Code AlphabetLearn letters, digits, punctuation, and pronunciation. Morse Code NumbersCopy and play digits 0 through 9. Morse Code PunctuationCheck periods, commas, slashes, question marks, and more. Morse Code PracticeTrain recognition by listening or reading dots and dashes. Morse Code Light TranslatorTurn dots and dashes into short and long screen flashes. International vs American MorseCompare the modern and historical Morse systems. Q-codesLook up common radio operating questions and answers. Morse ProsignsLearn continuous signals such as AR, SK, and SOS.
FAQ

Comparison questions.

What is the difference between International and American Morse code?

American (Railroad) Morse is the original 1840s landline code. It uses shorter dashes, a long dash for L, an even longer dash for 0, and long internal gaps inside a few letters. International Morse removed the internal gaps and long dashes and changed several patterns.

Why did International Morse replace American Morse?

International Morse was simpler and worked better on long undersea cables and radio, so it became the global standard by the early 1900s.

Can I play American Morse code on this site?

The audio player on this site handles International Morse timing only, because American Morse needs internal gaps and two dash lengths the standard player cannot express. The American column here is a visual reference.

References

Standards and sources.

Letter, number, and punctuation patterns on this page follow International Morse Code as defined in ITU-R M.1677-1, the ITU recommendation for International Morse code.

Timing uses the standard PARIS-based durations: a dot is 1 unit, a dash is 3 units, the gap between letters is 3 units, and the gap between words is 7 units.

Reviewed by the Morse Code Translator Editorial Team. Patterns follow International Morse Code (ITU-R M.1677-1).