Yes in Morse Code
The smallest answer there is. Here is “yes” in Morse code — press play to hear it, copy the code for a puzzle, an RSVP or the world's most over-engineered reply, and read on: how operators really say yes on air is a small lesson in how Morse works.
The signal light flashes in time with the sound.
Keyboard: Ctrl + Enter plays the sound · Esc stops it. This translator opened with the phrase already loaded — change the text to translate anything else.
How to write “yes” in Morse code, letter by letter
- Y -.-- · E . · S ...
Three letters, seven elements — and the word is carried by its first letter. Y (-.--) is one of the longest letters in the alphabet, four elements that sound like a little fanfare; then E (.), the shortest letter of all, and S (...), the most famous, trip off after it.
One space separates letters. A dot lasts one unit, a dash three — the timing rules are the same whether you write, beep, tap or flash the word. Every letter above follows the ITU International Morse Code standard, the same table as our full Morse code chart.
How operators actually say yes
Here is the honest surprise: the ITU standard contains no special signal that means yes. On the air, operators simply spell it — -.-- . ... — in plain language, exactly as you see it here. What they do use every day are short acknowledgements that often do the same job: R (.-.) means “received”, CFM (-.-. ..-. --) means “I confirm”, and QSL (--.- ... .-..) means “I acknowledge receipt”. If a station answers your call with any of those, you have been said yes to in everything but spelling.
Away from the radio, the spelled-out YES earns its keep wherever an answer deserves a little ceremony: a proposal replied to in dots and dashes (begin with i love you and hope this page comes back), a treasure-hunt clue, an engraving that only two people can read. And it never travels alone — its other half is no, two letters and five elements, waiting one click away.
Frequently asked questions
What is “yes” in Morse code?
Yes in Morse code is -.-- . ... — Y is -.--, E is . and S is ..., three letters totalling seven elements.
Is there a special prosign or shortcut for yes in Morse code?
No official one. The ITU standard defines prosigns for things like the start and end of a message, but not for yes — operators spell YES in plain language. Acknowledgement abbreviations such as R (received), CFM (I confirm) and QSL (I acknowledge receipt) often stand in for it on the air.
What is “no” in Morse code?
No in Morse code is -. --- — N is -. and O is ---. Together, yes (-.-- . ...) and no (-. ---) are the pair of answers every Morse beginner learns first.