Yes in Morse Code
Yes in Morse code is -.-- . .... That’s three letters. Y is long, short, long, long. E is one short signal. S is three short. The spaces mark where one letter ends and the next begins.
Reading the pattern
Y is the only part with any dashes: -.--. After it, the word ends with four dots split into two letters, a single dot for E and three for S. That split is the part people get wrong. Run the E and the S together and those four dots become H, so the word reads as -.-- ..... Keep a clear gap after the lone E.
Play -.-- . ... in the translator a few times and you’ll hear the shape: a choppy start, then a quick patter of dots to finish.
How to tap or flash yes
Morse timing runs on one unit. A dot lasts one unit and a dash lasts three. The pause inside a letter is one unit, and the pause between letters is three. YES adds up to 25 units from first signal to last.
With a flashlight, that means:
- Y: long flash, short flash, long flash, long flash.
- Pause.
- E: one short flash.
- Pause.
- S: three short flashes.
Tapping works the same way. Use quick taps for dots and slower, heavier taps for dashes. At a slow beginner pace of 5 words per minute (WPM), each unit is 240 milliseconds and the whole word takes about six seconds. That’s slow enough for someone checking a chart to follow along.
Yes and no signals between two people
A tap or blink code where one means yes and two means no is a handy agreement, but it isn’t Morse code. Morse spells the word. If both people know Morse, -.-- . ... and -. --- can’t be confused with each other or with a stray tap. If the other person doesn’t know Morse, agree on the simple code first. The full pattern for no is on the no in Morse code page.
What radio operators send instead
In radio work, YES is rarely spelled out. The ITU’s list of abbreviations for maritime radio (Recommendation ITU-R M.1172) defines the letter C as “yes.” That’s one letter, -.-.. The same list defines R as “received” (.-.) and OK as “we agree” or “it is correct” (--- -.-). On the amateur bands you’ll hear R and OK far more often than the full word.
For a bracelet, a tattoo, or a puzzle answer, spell out YES. Few people outside radio would read a lone C as yes.
FAQ
What is yes in Morse code?
Yes in Morse code is -.-- . .... Y is long, short, long, long. E is one short signal. S is three short signals. Leave a clear gap between the E and the S, or the four dots read as the letter H.
How do you say yes in Morse code with a flashlight?
Flash long, short, long, long for Y. Pause, then one short flash for E. Pause again, then three short flashes for S. Hold each long flash about three times as long as a short one, and make the pauses between letters about as long as a long flash.
Is there a shorter way to say yes in Morse code?
Yes. The ITU abbreviation list for maritime radio defines the single letter C (-.-.) as “yes.” Radio operators also send R for “received” and OK for “we agree.” Outside radio, spell out YES so the person reading it knows what you mean.