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Morse Code in Morse Code
"Morse Code" in Morse code is –– ––– ·–· ··· · / –·–· ––– –·· ·. Yes, the phrase "Morse code" itself has a Morse code spelling, and it makes a surprisingly good practice sentence.
The phrase
Timeline: 1 unit per dot, 3 per dash, 3 between letters, 7 between words.
Spoken aloud: dah dah · dah dah dah · dit dah dit · dit dit dit · dit · / · dah dit dah dit · dah dah dah · dah dit dit · dit
Breakdown
Morse Code, letter by letter
Morse code has no symbol for a whole phrase. You send each character in order and leave a pause of three units between them, and seven units between words. Click any character to hear it on its own.
Longest character: C (-.-., 4 signals). Shortest: E (.). Time units follow the standard 1-3-1-3-7 rule; at 15 words per minute one unit is 0.08 seconds, so the whole phrase takes about 7.1 seconds. At a beginner's 5 WPM it takes about 21.4 s, at 20 WPM about 5.3 s.
Four ways
How to send "Morse Code" in Morse code
The pattern is always –– ––– ·–· ··· · / –·–· ––– –·· ·. What changes is the medium. Here is the same phrase as sound, light, taps and text, with timing that works for this exact message.
By sound
Whistle, hum, beep or press the Listen button above. A dot is one short beep, a dash is three times longer. For "Morse Code" that is 11 short and 12 long beeps, about 7.1 seconds at a normal 15 WPM. If you are humming it for someone who is still learning, slow down to 5 WPM (about 21.4 s) and keep the gaps generous.
By light
With a flashlight or your phone's torch, use a pace of roughly 0.25 s on for a dot and 0.75 s on for a dash, with the light off for 0.25 s between signals and 0.75 s between letters, and about 1.75 s between words. Sent that way, "Morse Code" takes around 21.4 seconds. The Flash it button above shows the rhythm on the small lamp. More in Morse code with light.
By tapping
Knock on a table, a wall or a pipe: 11 quick taps for the dots and 12 longer knocks for the dashes, with a clear pause between letters and a longer one between words. Most people make the dash by holding the knuckle on the surface a beat longer, or by a short double-tap, as long as both sides agree beforehand. Our Morse code tapping guide covers the conventions.
As text
Paste the dots and dashes into a chat, a card or a caption. Keep one space between letters and a slash (or three spaces) between words so the reader can decode it without guessing:
-- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .
A bit of fun
Morse code in Morse code
Writing "Morse code" in Morse code is a small joke that teachers and ham operators love, and it happens to be a useful practice sentence. The two words contain the letters M, O, R, S, E, C and D, which cover both pure-dash characters (M, O) and mixed ones (R, C), plus the single-dot E. Send it at a slow, even pace and you have rehearsed a good chunk of the alphabet. The pattern even appears in the footer of this site.
By the way, the code is named after Samuel Morse, who developed the first telegraph system with Alfred Vail in the 1830s and 1840s. The international version used today was standardized later and is defined in ITU-R Recommendation M.1677. You can read the whole story in the history of Morse code.
Ideas
Use "Morse Code" in real life
On a bracelet
Thread 11 small round beads for the dots and 12 long tube beads for the dashes, in this order: -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .. Add one spacer bead between letters and three between words, about 9 in total.
As a tattoo
23 signals is a comfortable length for a forearm, collarbone or ankle. Keep the dot-to-dash ratio at 1:3 so it stays readable.
In a message
Copy the code and drop it into a text, a note or a caption. The dots and dashes survive in any app. Anyone can read it with our Morse code decoder.
FAQ
Questions about Morse Code in Morse code
How do you write Morse Code in Morse code?
"Morse Code" in Morse code is written -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. .. Letter by letter: M = --, O = ---, R = .-., S = ..., E = ., C = -.-., O = ---, D = -.., E = .. Leave one space between letters and a slash or three spaces between words.
How many dots and dashes are in Morse Code?
"Morse Code" uses 23 signals in total: 11 dots and 12 dashes across 9 characters. In timing units it adds up to 89, so it takes about 7.1 seconds at 15 words per minute.
How do you say Morse Code in Morse code?
Out loud, operators say "dit" for a dot and "dah" for a dash, so "Morse Code" is spoken as: dah dah · dah dah dah · dit dah dit · dit dit dit · dit · / · dah dit dah dit · dah dah dah · dah dit dit · dit. Press Listen on this page to hear the real tones at 15 WPM.
How long does it take to send Morse Code in Morse code?
About 7.1 seconds at 15 WPM, 21.4 seconds at a beginner-friendly 5 WPM, and 5.3 seconds at 20 WPM. The length is set by the 1-3-1-3-7 timing rule: a dot is one unit, a dash three, with one unit inside a character, three between characters and seven between words.
Translate any word or phrase
Type anything and get the Morse code with audio, a timing strip and a WAV download.