Calling for help is one of the most important things you can ever know how to do, and identifying how to ask for it in as many languages as possible could one day save your life.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at four different ways to use Morse code to ask for help.
While Morse code is not a language, it is still a very effective and secretive way to communicate a distress signal.
Alternatively, you can use SOS as a shorter and simpler means of requesting help. While SOS actually isn’t an acronym, because it is short and easy to remember, it gained its functions in Morse code as the perfect call for help.
That being said, let’s learn four cool ways to ask for help using Morse code!
Table of Contents
How to Use Morse Code
Before we can jump in and learn to ask for help in Morse code, we need first to understand how to use Morse code.
If you have no experience using Morse code, fret not! We’ll briefly cover the basics below. However, if you would like a deeper dive, check out our guide on How to Learn and Use Morse code.
Alright, so the first thing that you need to know is that the entire Morse code system is made up of two symbols that represent two different lengths of sound; the dot and the dash.
The dot represents by short and rapid sounds. Contrast that to the dash, which represents a longer and more pronounced sound.
Check out the audio clip below to listen to the difference between the dot and the dash!
Using these two symbols in various combinations, you can create different letters, numbers, and even special characters such as the addition or subtraction symbol—for those sick individuals looking to use Morse code for math.
If you would like to learn more about the Morse code alphabet and other characters beyond the several required to say help me, check out the following guides:
- Morse Code Alphabet: The Ultimate Guide
- Morse Code: Numbers, Punctuation, & Special Characters
- The Ultimate Morse Code Chart
One last thing to consider are the five Morse code timing rules:
- The length of a dot is 1 unit of time.
- The length of a dash is 3 units of time—or three times longer than a dot.
- The time gap between dots and dashes is 1 unit of time—or the same length as one dot.
- The time gap between full letters is 3 units of time—or the same length as one dash.
- The pause between complete words is 7 units of time.
That’s it! That is all you need to know to use Morse code successfully.
With that out of the way, let’s get into our first method of communicating “help me” in Morse code!
How to Write “Help Me” in Morse Code
So let’s paint a situation.
You’re being kidnapped and are forced to write a fake letter explaining why you are leaving forever. Knowing that your kidnapper is going to read the letter, you can’t simply spell out “help me, I’m being kidnapped.” Rather you take the secretive approach and ask for help by writing Morse code below your signature.
While this still depends on the reader of the letter to know or even recognize Morse code, it’s still better than XOXO.
Morse code for help me is:
H • • • •
E •
L • ─ • •
P • ─ ─ •
M ─ ─
E •
When laid out on a single line, “help me” in Morse code will look like this!
• • • • • • ─ • • • ─ ─ • / ─ ─ •
See how to write in Morse code for further help for more writing tips that will make it a bit easier to communicate on paper.
How to Say “Help Me” in Morse Code
Speaking in Morse code is actually way easier than you might think.
The history of Morse code is mostly an audible one, and, as such, it is quite simple to mimic vocally.
Dots are pronounced “di” while dashes are pronounced “dah.”
To say “help me“ in Morse code, repeat the following:
di-di-di-di di di-dah-di-di di-dah-dah-di / dah-dah-di
You can also listen to this phrase in Morse code with the audio clip below!
How to Blink “Help Me” in Morse Code
Probably one of the most useful ways to signal “help me” in Morse code is by blinking it.
A famous example to look at is Vietnam prisoner of war Jeremiah Denton. While prisoner, he was forced to participate and answer questions on a televised broadcast in 1966. During this broadcast, he blinked in Morse code the word “TORTURE” and informed the rest of the world that American POWs were, in fact, being tortured.
Alternatively, you can also blink SOS using Morse code, which may get you better results.
To blink characters in Morse code, the dots and dashes are represented in how much time you spend blinking.
Dots will be represented by short blinks or flutters—like you have something in your eye—, while dashes will be more pronounced blinks as if you are resting your eyes for a split second.
Check out the animation below of our good buddy Rocky blinking “Help Me.”
How to Say “Help Me” in Morse Code With a Flashlight
Another handy method of asking for help in Morse code is by flashing lights. Signal lamps, flashlights, or even fire can be used.
However, the drawback of using light is that you are restricted to line-of-sight, so if your observer can’t see the light, they can’t receive your message.
To use light to say “help me,” we’re simply going to represent our dots and dashes using short and long bursts of light. This is easily accomplished using a flashlight, or if you have a crafty hand, you can automatically rig up something that blinks your code!
Check out the following message using light.
Strobe Warning! This video may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
“Help Me” in Other Languages
A beautiful feature of Morse code is that it is Universal. This means that we can use it to communicate in a variety of languages.
Below are a few examples of “help me” in Morse code using other languages!
Spanish: ayúdame
•─ ─•─ ─ ••─ ─•• •─ ─ ─ •
French: aide-moi
•─ •• ─ •• • ─ ••••─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ••
German: hilf mir
•••• •• •─•• ••─• / ─ ─ •• •─•
Russian: Помоги мне
•─ ─• ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─• • • / ─ ─ ─• •
Italian: aiutami
•─ •• ••─ ─ •─ ─ ─ ••
Wrapping It Up!
Throughout this short guide, we’ve learned several ways to ask for help using Morse code.
We learned how to blink it, speak it, and even write it.
While knowing this simple phrase in Morse code could one day save your life, it is still better to request help using the traditional SOS. It is universally known and significantly easier to remember and communicate.
I hope this guide fulfilled all of your burning questions and desires and if you would play around a bit more with Morse code, be sure to check out our Morse code Translator.
As always, happy dabbling!