I Love You in Morse Code
“I love you” in Morse code is .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-. That is 8 letters and 24 signals, exactly 12 dots and 12 dashes, with a slash marking the gap between each word. Below you can hear it, copy it, see every letter broken down, and learn how to tap, blink or engrave it.
What Does I Love You Look Like in Morse Code?
Copy-paste version: .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-. In written Morse, a space separates letters and a slash (/) separates words. When the code is sent as sound or light, the slash becomes a pause seven dots long.
Letter-by-Letter Breakdown
| Letter | Morse | Typed | Signals | Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | · · | .. | 2 dots, 0 dashes | I |
| L | · – · · | .-.. | 3 dots, 1 dash | LOVE |
| O | – – – | --- | 0 dots, 3 dashes | LOVE |
| V | · · · – | ...- | 3 dots, 1 dash | LOVE |
| E | · | . | 1 dot, 0 dashes | LOVE |
| Y | – · – – | -.-- | 1 dot, 3 dashes | YOU |
| O | – – – | --- | 0 dots, 3 dashes | YOU |
| U | · · – | ..- | 2 dots, 1 dash | YOU |
Two letters do most of the work: O (three dashes) appears twice, and E is the shortest character in Morse code, a single dot. Want any other word? Use the Morse code translator or see how to identify a letter from its pattern.
I Love You Variations in Morse Code
“I love you too”
.. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / - --- ---
“Love you”
.-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-
88 · love and kisses
---.. ---.. Ham radio shorthand
143 · I love you
.---- ....- ...-- Letter count 1-4-3
“Miss you”
-- .. ... ... / -.-- --- ..-
ILY
.. .-.. -.-- Texting slang, not a Morse abbreviation
88 is the one with real Morse history: in the “92 Code” adopted by Western Union in 1859 and still used by amateur radio operators, 88 means “love and kisses”, just as 73 means “best regards”. 143 comes from pager culture, where the numbers count the letters in I (1) love (4) you (3). More shorthand in Morse code abbreviations & Q-codes.
How to Send I Love You Without Words
By tapping
Tap a table, a hand or a shoulder: a quick tap for a dot, a press about three times longer for a dash. Pause for the length of one dash between letters and a little over twice that between words. Full technique: tapping Morse code.
By blinking
A short blink is a dot and a deliberate, held blink is a dash. Keep your eyes open between letters. Blinking is slow, so 88 is a practical shortcut. See how to send Morse code by tapping or blinking.
With a flashlight
Flash briefly for dots and hold for dashes, keeping the light off between signals. It reads best in the dark and from a distance, the same way ships signal with an Aldis lamp.
As sound
Hum, whistle or beep: “dit dit, di-dah-di-dit dah-dah-dah di-di-di-dah dit, dah-di-dah-dah dah-dah-dah di-di-dah”. Say it out loud and you will hear the rhythm that operators learn by ear.
How Long Does It Take to Send?
Morse timing is counted in units: a dot is 1 unit, a dash is 3, the gap inside a letter is 1, the gap between letters is 3, and the gap between words is 7. “I love you” adds up to 93 units. One unit lasts 1200 ÷ WPM milliseconds, so:
| Speed | I love you | 88 | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 WPM | 22.3 s | 7.9 s | Tapping or blinking by hand |
| 10 WPM | 11.2 s | 4.0 s | Flashlight, beginner listening |
| 18 WPM | 6.2 s | 2.2 s | Translator default speed |
| 20 WPM | 5.6 s | 2.0 s | Experienced operator |
The units behind these numbers are explained in Morse code timing and words per minute.
I Love You in Morse Code for Gifts and Tattoos
Bracelets and necklaces
Use round beads for dots and long tube beads for dashes, with a spacer bead between letters and a larger spacer between words. Without spacers, “.-..” (L) and “. -..” (E, D) look identical.
Tattoos and engravings
Use a clear gap between letters and a slash or wider gap between words, and keep dashes at least three times as long as dots. Formatting rules and examples: Morse code tattoos, bracelets & engravings.
Messages and cards
Write the code with the translation underneath, or send the code alone and let them decode it. For a name, see how to write your name in Morse code.
Check before you commit
Paste your final design into the translator in Morse to Text mode. If it does not read back as I LOVE YOU, a space is missing or a dot and dash have been swapped.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say I love you in Morse code?
“I love you” in Morse code is .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-. Send I as two dots, LOVE as .-.. --- ...- . and YOU as -.-- --- ..-, with a short pause between letters and a longer pause between words.
How many dots and dashes are in I love you?
“I love you” uses 24 signals: exactly 12 dots and 12 dashes, spread across 8 letters and 3 words.
How long does it take to send I love you in Morse code?
The phrase is 93 timing units long. That is about 11 seconds at 10 words per minute, 6 seconds at 18 WPM and 22 seconds at a slow 5 WPM.
What is I love you too in Morse code?
“I love you too” is .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / - --- ---. It adds the word TOO (one dash, then two groups of three dashes) after the original phrase.
Is 143 “I love you” in Morse code?
No. 143 comes from 1990s pager slang, where each digit counts the letters in a word: I (1), love (4), you (3). It is not Morse code. In Morse, the digits 143 are sent as .---- ....- ...--, and “I love you” is .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..-.
What is love in Morse code?
“Love” in Morse code is .-.. --- ...- .: L (dot dash dot dot), O (three dashes), V (three dots and a dash) and E (one dot). It uses 12 signals: 7 dots and 5 dashes.
What does 88 mean in Morse code?
88 (---.. ---..) is a traditional amateur radio abbreviation meaning “love and kisses”. It is the closest thing Morse code has to a built-in “I love you” and is far quicker to send than the full phrase.
Is ILY a Morse code abbreviation?
No. ILY is a texting abbreviation, not a recognised Morse code or ham radio abbreviation. You can still send it (.. .-.. -.--), but the receiver has to know what it means. 88 is the established Morse shorthand.
Can you tap I love you in Morse code?
Yes. Tap once quickly for each dot and press or hold about three times as long for each dash. Leave a short pause between letters and a longer pause between words so the other person can separate them.