Hello in Morse Code & 15 Common Phrases Translated

A handful of phrases does most of the work in any language, and Morse is no exception. You can practice each phrase with our Morse Code Translator, then use the Morse Code Alphabet as a reference when you need to check individual characters. Learn the fifteen below and you hold the core of everyday Morse conversation: greetings, answers, courtesies, and one emergency word. HELLO comes first, with its full breakdown; the rest follow with theirs.

HELLO in Morse Code

H ···· E · L ·—·· L ·—·· O ———

Full sequence: ···· · ·—·· ·—·· ———

HELLO earns its place as the classic first word: four distinct patterns, one repeated letter, and a shape every English speaker already knows. The doubled L (·—··) is the workout — a four-element character sent twice in a row — while the opening H (····) warms you up with the simplest multi-dot pattern in the code.

15 Common Phrases in Morse Code

1. OK

O ——— K —·—

Full sequence: ——— —·—

Two characters, two dash-led patterns, zero ambiguity — which is why OK became the most recognized word on the planet and one of the first phrases new operators send.

2. HELP

H ···· E · L ·—·· P ·——·

Full sequence: ···· · ·—·· ·——·

The phrase nobody wants to need. HELP can be whistled, flashed, tapped, or keyed to draw attention in distress. For the dedicated breakdown, see our Help Me in Morse Code guide — and remember that a genuine life-threatening emergency calls for the recognized SOS distress signal.

3. YES

Y —·—— E · S ···

Full sequence: —·—— · ···

The full word, written out in International Morse code: Y = —·——, E = ·, and S = ···. Send all three letters when you mean the word YES — a single dash is not an abbreviation for it; it is the letter T. Its own lookup page, Yes in Morse Code, gathers the pattern with listening practice.

4. NO

N —· O ———

Full sequence: —· ———

Two letters and done. On the air you may hear a single dot used as an informal negative, but the spelled-out word removes all doubt, and it costs half a second. See No in Morse Code for the two-letter pattern broken down on its own page.

5. LOVE

L ·—·· O ——— V ···— E ·

Full sequence: ·—·· ——— ···— ·

Few words get encoded as often as this one — it is the raw material of Morse bracelets, tattoos, and cards. Learn more about this in our dedicated I Love You guide.

6. GOODBYE

G ——· O ——— O ——— D —·· B —··· Y —·—— E ·

Full sequence: ——· ——— ——— —·· —··· —·—— ·

On the air, operators usually close with the prosign SK (···—·—), “end of contact,” rather than keying the full word. Off the air, the complete GOODBYE is a satisfying send — long, rhythmic, and unmistakable. Three shorter sign-offs share the same job: Take Care in Morse Code for warmth, See You Later in Morse Code for a temporary parting, and Have a Nice Day in Morse Code when the full courteous close is wanted.

7. PLEASE

P ·——· L ·—·· E · A ·— S ··· E ·

Full sequence: ·——· ·—·· · ·— ··· ·

Seven letters of good manners. In formal traffic and courteous amateur exchanges, PLEASE still gets spelled out the long way. The full breakdown lives at Please in Morse Code.

8. THANK YOU

T — H ···· A ·— N —· K —·— Y —·—— O ——— U ··—

Full sequence: — ···· ·— —· —·— —·—— ——— ··—

Amateur shorthand compresses this to TNX, but the full phrase survives in formal and ceremonial exchanges — and its eight letters make excellent rhythm practice.

9. SORRY

S ··· O ——— R ·—· R ·—· Y —·——

Full sequence: ··· ——— ·—· ·—· —·——

The repair word: sent after a garbled transmission or a stepped-on signal, SORRY resets the conversation politely. Its close cousin gets a page of its own — Excuse Me in Morse Code covers the longer apology — while Sorry in Morse Code breaks down this five-letter repair word.

10. WELCOME

W ·—— E · L ·—·· C —·—· O ——— M —— E ·

Full sequence: ·—— · ·—·· —·—· ——— —— ·

Nine letters of open door. Time-of-day greetings on the air are usually the abbreviations GM and GE — good morning, good evening — but WELCOME is the word for a newcomer joining the frequency. Open the dedicated Welcome in Morse Code page for its letter-by-letter rhythm.

11. GOOD NIGHT

G ——· O ——— O ——— D —·· N —· I ·· G ——· H ···· T —

Full sequence: ——· ——— ——— —·· —· ·· ——· ···· —

A friendly close to an evening session. The standard sign-off prosign is 73, “best regards”; spelling out GOOD NIGHT adds a personal note the abbreviation cannot. Work through the nine letters one at a time on the Good Night in Morse Code page.

12. STOP

S ··· T — O ——— P ·——·

Full sequence: ··· — ——— ·——·

Telegraph tradition marks message separations with the prosign BT (—···—); the plain word STOP does the same job with extra emphasis in informal traffic.

13. HOW ARE YOU

H ···· O ——— W ·—— A ·— R ·—· E · Y —·—— O ——— U ··—

Full sequence: ···· ——— ·—— ·— ·—· · —·—— ——— ··—

Ham shorthand asks the same question as HW? — two characters saved. Learn the full phrase anyway: it strings together nine letters of varied patterns, a genuine workout. Each of the nine letters is unpacked on the How Are You in Morse Code page.

14. PEACE

P ·——· E · A ·— C —·—· E ·

Full sequence: ·——· · ·— —·—· ·

Five letters with an even, flowing rhythm — which is why PEACE is a favorite for jewelry and decorative pieces as much as for conversation. Jewelry makers often start from the dedicated Peace in Morse Code page, which lays the five letters out at reading size.

15. FRIEND

F ··—· R ·—· I ·· E · N —· D —··

Full sequence: ··—· ·—· ·· · —· —··

Six letters, six different patterns. FRIEND is superb practice and a natural choice for a gift that carries its meaning quietly. The pattern tour continues on the Friend in Morse Code page.

Tips for Practicing Phrases

When practicing these phrases, keep these tips in mind:

• Short phrases first. OK, NO, and HI build confidence before longer words demand stamina.
• Chase rhythm, not counts. A phrase should sound like a little tune; if you are counting elements, slow down until the tune returns.
• Copy by ear. Listening and writing at the same time is the skill real operators use — practice it from the start.
• Send, don't just read. A key, a paddle, or even a finger on the table: sending fixes patterns in memory that reading never will.
• Chain phrases into sentences. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? and THANK YOU combine into your first real exchange.
• Practice in context. Preparing for amateur radio? Run these phrases inside mock contacts (QSOs) so they arrive with their manners attached.

Run each phrase through the translator as you practice. For a single lookup page for each phrase — with its full breakdown and practice notes — browse the index of morse code words.