Morse Code Numbers
Good news: numbers are the easiest part of Morse code. Every digit is exactly five signals long, and one simple counting pattern covers all ten.
Numbers 0–9
| Number | Code | Pattern | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .---- | 1 dot, then dashes | |
| 2 | ..--- | 2 dots, then dashes | |
| 3 | ...-- | 3 dots, then dashes | |
| 4 | ....- | 4 dots, then a dash | |
| 5 | ..... | 5 dots — all dots | |
| 6 | -.... | 1 dash, then dots | |
| 7 | --... | 2 dashes, then dots | |
| 8 | ---.. | 3 dashes, then dots | |
| 9 | ----. | 4 dashes, then a dot | |
| 0 | ----- | 5 dashes — all dashes |
The counting pattern — learn all ten numbers in one minute
Look at the table as two halves:
- 1 to 5 — count the dots. Each number starts with that many dots, and the rest of the five signals are dashes. 1 = one dot, 2 = two dots … 5 = five dots and no dashes at all.
- 6 to 0 — count the dashes. The pattern flips: each number starts with dashes and finishes with dots. 6 = one dash, 7 = two dashes … 9 = four dashes and one dot, and 0 = five dashes.
So if you hear a number start with dots, it is 1–5 and the dots tell you which. If it starts with dashes, it is 6–0 and the dashes count up from 6. With that single rule you never need to memorise the number chart at all.
Practice examples
Read each one, try to decode it yourself, then check the answer and press Play to hear it.
| Example | Morse code | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| Agent 007 | ----- ----- --... | |
| Boeing 747 | --... ....- --... | |
| Emergency 911 | ----. .---- .---- | |
| Room 101 | .---- ----- .---- | |
| Route 66 | -.... -.... | |
| The year 2026 | ..--- ----- ..--- -.... | |
| Pi, 3.14 | ...-- .-.-.- .---- ....- | |
| "Ten-four" 10-4 | .---- ----- / ....- |
Now test yourself properly: type any number — a birthday, a house number, a flight — into the translator and see if you can read the Morse before you play it.
Number questions
How do you remember Morse code numbers?
Every number is five signals long. For 1 to 5, count the dots: 1 starts with one dot followed by dashes, 2 has two dots, and so on until 5, which is all dots. For 6 to 9 the pattern flips: count the dashes from the left — 6 starts with one dash, 9 has four dashes and one dot — and 0 is all dashes.
What is 5 in Morse code?
5 is five dots: ..... It is the exact middle of the number system and the easiest number to recognise.
Are Morse code numbers always five signals long?
Yes, in standard text every digit from 0 to 9 is sent as five elements. Experienced radio operators sometimes use shortened "cut numbers" in contests and casual contacts, but the full five-element forms on this page are the correct standard.