Morse Code Numbers 0–9
Every digit is exactly five signals long and follows one simple rule. Click a number to hear it.
Digits 0–9
Need the letters? See the full Morse code alphabet →
How Morse code numbers work
Unlike the letters, which vary from one to four signals, every number in Morse code is made of exactly five dots and dashes. That uniform length makes the numbers surprisingly easy to learn, because they follow a rule instead of needing to be memorised one by one. Listen to a few of them on the chart above and you will hear the pattern: the dots “fill up” from the left, then the dashes take over.
Here is the rule. For 1 to 5, send that many dits followed by enough dahs to make five: 1 is .----, 2 is ..---, 3 is ...--, 4 is ....- and 5 is ...... For 6 to 9, flip it: start with dahs and finish with dits — 6 is -...., 7 is --..., 8 is ---.., 9 is ----.. And 0 is five dahs, -----. Count the leading dits (1–5) or the leading dahs (6–0) and you have the digit.
Morse code numbers table
| Digit | Morse code | Memory hint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | .---- | one dit, then four dahs |
| 2 | ..--- | two dits, then three dahs |
| 3 | ...-- | three dits, two dahs |
| 4 | ....- | four dits, one dah |
| 5 | ..... | five dits — all short |
| 6 | -.... | one dah, then four dits |
| 7 | --... | two dahs, three dits |
| 8 | ---.. | three dahs, two dits |
| 9 | ----. | four dahs, one dit |
| 0 | ----- | five dahs — the longest code |
How to learn the numbers fast
Learn 1, 5 and 0 first
1 (.----), 5 (.....) and 0 (-----) are the anchors: one dit then dahs, all dits, all dahs. Everything else sits between them.
Fill in 2–4 and 6–9
Move the boundary one step at a time: 2 adds a dit, 3 another. For 6–9 the dahs come first and shrink towards 9 (----.).
Practise with real numbers
Type a phone number or today's date into the Morse code translator and play it back, or switch the practice trainer to letters + numbers.
Cut numbers and other shortcuts
Because five-signal digits are slow to send, radio operators sometimes use cut numbers in contexts where the meaning is obvious — for example T (a single dah) for 0 and N (-.) for 9 when sending a signal report like “5NN” (599). Cut numbers are a convention among experienced operators, not part of the standard, so this chart and the translator always use the full five-signal codes.
Numbers also appear in a few common abbreviations worth knowing: 73 means “best regards”, 88 means “love and kisses” and 599 is a perfect signal report. You will find them throughout the history of Morse code.
Frequently asked questions
What are the numbers 1 to 10 in Morse code?
1 .----, 2 ..---, 3 ...--, 4 ....-, 5 ....., 6 -...., 7 --..., 8 ---.., 9 ----., 0 -----. There is no separate code for 10 — it is sent as 1 followed by 0 (.---- -----).
Why are Morse code numbers five signals long?
The fixed length was chosen for clarity: with letters varying between one and four signals, making every digit exactly five keeps numbers distinct from letters and makes errors easier to catch. The regular dit-to-dah progression also makes them easy to learn as a system rather than individually.
What is 0 in Morse code?
Zero is five dahs: -----. Some operators abbreviate it to a single dah (the letter T) in casual exchanges, but the standard code is five dahs.
How do you write a phone number in Morse code?
Send each digit as its five-signal code with a letter gap (three units, or a space when written) between digits. For example 911 is ----. .---- .----. Paste any number into the Morse code translator to convert and play it.
Are the numbers the same in American and International Morse code?
No. American (railroad) Morse used different codes for several digits, with internal spaces and long dashes. International Morse — shown here — standardised all ten as five-signal sequences. See International vs American Morse code for the full comparison.