Morse Code Numbers

All ten digits in Morse code. Each number is a five-element pattern. Click any number to hear it.

The systematic pattern

In International Morse, numbers are beautifully regular. Start at 1 = .----: one dot followed by four dashes. Each step up swaps one more dash for a dot — 2 = ..---,3 = ...--, 4 = ....- — until 5 = ....., all dots. From 6 the pattern reverses, adding dashes back from the front: 6 = -.... up to0 = -----, five dashes. Once you see the symmetry, the set is simple to remember. This logical structure was intentional; the designers of Morse code made numbers easy to learn by grouping them into two logical halves.

Using numbers in Morse

Every digit takes five elements, so numbers send noticeably slower than short letters like E or T. In real traffic, operators spell out numbers carefully and often repeat them to avoid errors. Callsigns, dates, frequencies, and times are the most common uses for numbers in radio traffic. Many operators prefer to spell out numbers as words (ONE, TWO, THREE) in rapid casual conversation to save time, since the Morse codes are always five elements. To practice mixing numbers with words, use the English to Morse translator with a date or callsign.

Numbers in American vs International

One advantage of International Morse is that numbers are identical in both American and International standards. Only letters and punctuation differ between the two systems. This consistency made the transition to International Morse easier in the twentieth century when wireless radio made the older American system obsolete. Numbers were never a source of confusion between operators learning different versions of the code.