Braille Alphabet Guide

Braille Alphabet Guide

Understanding the Braille Alphabet

Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are blind or visually impaired. Instead of printed letters, Braille uses raised dots arranged in patterns that can be read using the fingertips.

Each Braille character is formed inside a six-dot cell, arranged in two columns of three dots.


1 4
2 5
3 6

Different combinations of these dots create letters, numbers, punctuation, and even whole words.

The Braille Alphabet (A–Z)

Each letter of the alphabet has its own dot pattern.

Letter Braille Pattern Dots
A ⠁ Dot 1
B ⠃ Dots 1-2
C ⠉ Dots 1-4
D ⠙ Dots 1-4-5
E ⠑ Dots 1-5
F ⠋ Dots 1-2-4
G ⠛ Dots 1-2-4-5
H ⠓ Dots 1-2-5
I ⠊ Dots 2-4
J ⠚ Dots 2-4-5
K ⠅ Dots 1-3
L ⠇ Dots 1-2-3
M ⠍ Dots 1-3-4
N ⠝ Dots 1-3-4-5
O ⠕ Dots 1-3-5
P ⠏ Dots 1-2-3-4
Q ⠟ Dots 1-2-3-4-5
R ⠗ Dots 1-2-3-5
S ⠎ Dots 2-3-4
T ⠞ Dots 2-3-4-5
U ⠥ Dots 1-3-6
V ⠧ Dots 1-2-3-6
W ⠺ Dots 2-4-5-6
X ⠭ Dots 1-3-4-6
Y ⠽ Dots 1-3-4-5-6
Z ⠵ Dots 1-3-5-6

Contracted vs Uncontracted Braille

There are two common forms of Braille used in reading and writing.

Uncontracted Braille (Grade 1 Braille)

Uncontracted Braille spells out every word letter by letter, similar to printed text.

Example:


HELLO
⠓ ⠑ ⠇ ⠇ ⠕

This form of Braille is often used by:

  • beginners learning Braille

  • young students

  • short labels or simple messages

Contracted Braille (Grade 2 Braille)

Contracted Braille uses shortened forms and contractions to represent common words or letter combinations.

For example:

The word “and” has its own single Braille symbol.

Contracted Braille helps readers:

  • read faster

  • save space on the page

  • reduce the number of Braille cells needed

Most books and longer texts in Braille use contracted Braille.

Why Braille Matters

Braille gives people who are blind or visually impaired the ability to read independently using touch.

It provides access to:

  • books

  • signs

  • labels

  • educational materials

  • greeting cards

Receiving a greeting card with Braille allows someone to read the message themselves without assistance, making the moment more personal and meaningful.

Braille Greeting Cards

At Greetings in Braille, we create handmade greeting cards that include Braille and large print so both Braille readers and sighted readers can share the same message.

All of our cards are customizable. If you prefer a card without Braille, simply type “No Braille” in the customization box when placing your order.

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