Sorry in Morse Code

Daniel Reeves, Morse Code Editor & Radio Telegraphy Specialist
Written and reviewed by Daniel Reeves
Morse Code Editor & Radio Telegraphy Specialist ·

... --- .-. .-. -.--

"Sorry" is the everyday apology, and in Morse it reads ... --- .-. .-. -.-- . As a single five-letter word it makes a compact, expressive pattern — and it happens to open exactly like SOS, with three dots and three dashes, before veering into its own shape. It's a heartfelt little word to send when "I'm sorry" feels easier in code than out loud.

Letter-by-Letter Breakdown

LetterMorseSound (di / dah)
S...di-di-dit
O---dah-dah-dah
R.-.di-dah-dit
R.-.di-dah-dit
Y-.--dah-di-dah-dah

Five letters: S, O, R, R, Y. It begins with the three dots of S and three dashes of O — the SOS opening — then hits a doubled R (.-. .-.), an internal echo of two identical letters, before closing on the dash-heavy Y. That repeated R is the word's signature, a stutter-step in the middle of the apology.

5 letters·16 signal elements·8 dots·8 dashes·~3.3 sec at 20 WPM

How to Send “Sorry” in Morse Code

"Sorry" is a gentle way to apologize in code — tap it on a hand or flash it quietly when words are hard. The doubled R makes it satisfying to send, since you repeat the same dot-dash-dot twice. As practice, notice how it starts like SOS before the R's take it somewhere else — a nice illustration of how shared letters create familiar openings.

Type it

Enter "Sorry" in any Morse translator to see ... --- .-. .-. -.-- appear instantly — the fastest way to check the pattern.

Tap it

Tap the rhythm on a hand or table: short taps for dots, longer presses for dashes, with a clear pause between letters.

Blink it

Signal it with your eyes or a subtle nod — quick for a dot, held for a dash — a silent way to pass "Sorry" across a room.

Flash it

Use a flashlight or phone light: a brief flash is a dot, a long flash is a dash. Press Play above to hear the timing first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "sorry" in Morse code?+

"Sorry" in Morse code is ... --- .-. .-. -.-- , spelling S-O-R-R-Y. It opens with the three dots and three dashes of S and O — the start of the SOS pattern — then has a doubled R before ending on the dash-heavy Y.

Does "sorry" start like SOS in Morse code?+

Its first two letters do. S is three dots and O is three dashes, so "sorry" begins with the same six signals as SOS (... ---). After that, the doubled R and the Y carry it in a different direction, but the shared opening is a fun detail to point out.

Related Phrases

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