Happy Birthday in Morse Code
“Happy birthday” in Morse code is .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -... .. .-. - .... -.. .- -.--. The short form HBD is .... -... -... Play it, copy it for a card, or add a name below.
What Does Happy Birthday Look Like in Morse Code?
H A P P Y / B I R T H D A Y
Happy birthday has 13 letters and 41 signals (25 dots and 16 dashes). It takes about 11.3 seconds to send at 15 words per minute. To add a name, type the full message into the Morse code translator.
Letter-by-Letter Breakdown
| Letter | Morse | Typed | Signals | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | · · · · | .... | 4 dots | di-di-di-dit |
| A | · – | .- | 1 dot, 1 dash | di-dah |
| P | · – – · | .--. | 2 dots, 2 dashes | di-dah-dah-dit |
| Y | – · – – | -.-- | 1 dot, 3 dashes | dah-di-dah-dah |
| B | – · · · | -... | 3 dots, 1 dash | dah-di-di-dit |
| I | · · | .. | 2 dots | di-dit |
| R | · – · | .-. | 2 dots, 1 dash | di-dah-dit |
| T | – | - | 1 dash | dah |
| D | – · · | -.. | 2 dots, 1 dash | dah-di-dit |
H, A, P and Y each appear twice, so 9 different letters cover the whole phrase. See each one on its own page, such as H in Morse code and B in Morse code.
Short Ways to Say Happy Birthday in Morse Code
“HBD” (happy birthday)
.... -... -.. · the quickest form, 3 letters
“BDAY” (birthday)
-... -.. .- -.-- · short for cards and tags
“HAPPY” (one word)
.... .- .--. .--. -.-- · for a short message on a cake
“CAKE”
-.-. .- -.- . · a fun word for a party puzzle
HBD takes just 29 timing units compared with 141 for the full phrase, so it fits on small items like cake toppers and bracelets. For a personal touch, add the person’s name. How to write your name in Morse code shows how.
How to Send Happy Birthday Without Speaking
By tapping
Tap HBD on the table at a party for a secret greeting. The tapping and blinking guide explains how long to pause.
With a light
Flash the message across a dark room before the cake comes out. The Morse code light tool flashes it on any screen.
As sound
Beep the phrase on a phone or a buzzer, or add the audio to a video birthday message.
In a card
Write the dots and dashes on the front of a card and hide the answer inside so the birthday person decodes it.
How Long Does Happy Birthday Take to Send?
Happy birthday takes 141 units: 59 for HAPPY, 75 for BIRTHDAY, and a 7-unit gap between the words. The Morse code timing guide explains how the units add up.
| Speed | One unit | Time to send |
|---|---|---|
| 5 WPM | 240 ms | 33.8 s |
| 10 WPM | 120 ms | 16.9 s |
| 15 WPM | 80 ms | 11.3 s |
| 20 WPM | 60 ms | 8.5 s |
| 25 WPM | 48 ms | 6.8 s |
Ways to Use Happy Birthday in Morse Code
Cards and messages
A line of dots and dashes makes a simple card feel personal. Add the name on a second line.
Cakes and cookies
Pipe dots and dashes in icing, or use round sweets for dots and thin sticks for dashes.
Party treasure hunts
Write each clue in Morse so guests decode their way to the presents. More ideas are in our Morse code activities for kids.
Bracelets and keepsakes
Spell HBD or a name in beads as a party favour. Follow the Morse code bracelet formatting guide so it stays readable.
Happy Birthday in Morse Code in Other Languages
Morse code sends letters, not words, so the same message can be much shorter or longer depending on the language. In this table the shortest is English at 141 units and the longest is German “Alles Gute zum Geburtstag” at 207 units.
| Language | Word | Morse code | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Happy birthday | .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -... .. .-. - .... -.. .- -.-- | 141 |
| Spanish | Feliz cumpleaños (sent as FELIZ CUMPLEANOS) | ..-. . .-.. .. --.. / -.-. ..- -- .--. .-.. . .- -. --- ... | 151 |
| French | Joyeux anniversaire | .--- --- -.-- . ..- -..- / .- -. -. .. ...- . .-. ... .- .. .-. . | 167 |
| German | Alles Gute zum Geburtstag | .- .-.. .-.. . ... / --. ..- - . / --.. ..- -- / --. . -... ..- .-. - ... - .- --. | 207 |
| Italian | Buon compleanno | -... ..- --- -. / -.-. --- -- .--. .-.. . .- -. -. --- | 151 |
| Portuguese | Feliz aniversário (sent as FELIZ ANIVERSARIO) | ..-. . .-.. .. --.. / .- -. .. ...- . .-. ... .- .-. .. --- | 143 |
Accents are left off here. International Morse only defines É among accented letters, so most operators send á, ñ or ã as the plain letter. Some countries use their own extra codes for these letters, but they are not part of the ITU standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say happy birthday in Morse code?
“Happy birthday” in Morse code is .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -... .. .-. - .... -.. .- -.--. Send HAPPY, leave a word gap, then send BIRTHDAY.
What is HBD in Morse code?
HBD, short for happy birthday, is .... -... -..: H, B and D.
How do you add a name to happy birthday in Morse code?
Send happy birthday, leave a word gap (a slash when written), then send the name letter by letter. The translator does this for you if you type the full message.
How many dots and dashes are in happy birthday?
Happy birthday has 41 signals: 25 dots and 16 dashes across 13 letters.
How long does happy birthday take to send in Morse code?
Happy birthday is 141 timing units long, about 11.3 seconds at 15 words per minute or 8.5 seconds at 20 words per minute.
How do you tap happy birthday in Morse code?
Tap a short for each dot and a long press for each dash, pausing between letters and a little longer between the two words. For a quick version, tap HBD.