Em Dash (Long Dash) vs En Dash vs Hyphen: Type & Copy (—) (⸻)

When writing in English, you’ve probably used the small line on your keyboard: the hyphen (-). But did you know there are actually three different horizontal characters — the hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (—) — each with its own meaning and use?

Many people casually call all of them a “long dash”, but in proper typography and grammar, these punctuation marks serve very different purposes.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The difference between em dash, en dash, and hyphen
• When to use each dash correctly in writing
• How to type — and – (long dash symbols) on Windows, Mac, Word, Google Docs, and phones
• Copy-paste shortcuts and character codes
• How to insert em dash in Google Docs, including shortcuts and substitutions

What Is a Dash?

A dash is a punctuation mark used to indicate a break, connection, or range in text. It helps writers link ideas, show relationships, or create emphasis within a sentence.

In English, “dash” is an umbrella term that includes:

• Hyphen (-)
• En dash (–)
• Em dash (—)

They differ in length, function, and meaning. When writing with a pen, they may look similar, but in digital documents their lengths are clearly noticeable.

The Hyphen Symbol (-): The Short Connector

What is a hyphen?

The hyphen symbol (-) is the shortest mark in the dash family and appears directly on your keyboard. Technically, it is not a dash, but because it looks similar, many people refer to it as one.

When users search for hyphen symbol, they usually mean this small horizontal line: –.

What does a hyphen do?

A hyphen is used to join words or parts of words so they function together as a single unit.

Common uses

• Compound words: well-known, user-friendly, part-time
• Line breaks: split a word at the end of a line
• Prefixes: pre-test, re-enter
• Phone numbers & IDs: 123-456-7890

Hyphen vs dash

A hyphen connects. Dashes separate or relate ideas.

The En Dash (–): The Range Dash

What is an en dash?

The en dash (–) is slightly longer than a hyphen. It gets its name because it’s about the width of the letter “N”.

What does an en dash mean?

An en dash usually means “to,” “through,” or sometimes “and.” It shows a connection or span between two things.

En dash uses:

• Ranges: pages 10–20, 2010–2025
• Time spans: Monday–Friday
• Connections: New York–London flight
• Scores: India won 3–2

Think of the en dash as meaning “to” or “through.”

The Em Dash (—): The Emphasis Dash

What is an em dash?

The em dash (—) is the longest dash. It’s about the width of the letter “M” and is often called the long dash in casual writing.

What does an em dash mean in writing?

An em dash creates a strong break in a sentence — stronger than a comma and more flexible than a colon. It draws attention to what comes next or sets off important information.

Em dash uses:

• To show a break in thought
• To add extra information like parentheses
• To replace commas for emphasis
• To indicate interrupted speech

Examples:

I was going to call you — but then I forgot.
This guide — the one you’re reading — explains everything.

Em dashes make writing feel more conversational and expressive.

The “Long Dash”: What Does It Really Mean?

The term long dash isn’t a formal punctuation name. In most cases, when people say long dash, they mean the em dash (—).

However, it’s sometimes confused with:

• Typing two hyphens (–) to imitate an em dash
• The symbol ⸻, known as the three-em dash, is a single typographic character equal in width to three em dashes and used in some publishing contexts.

In professional writing, use the true em dash character instead.

Copy Paste Em dash, En dash & long dash from here

A simple and easy way to insert these types of punctuation marks is to copy-paste. Yes, you can just use Em dash copy-paste method to insert in a document.

Em Dash vs En Dash vs Hyphen — Key Differences

Quick glance

If you mean “to”, use en dash (–).
If you mean a pause or break, use em dash (—).
If joining words, use a hyphen (-).

How to Type Em Dash, En Dash, and Hyphen on Keyboard

On Windows (Alt Codes)

You must use the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, and Num Lock must be ON.

Steps to use Alt codes:

1. Turn on Num Lock.
2. Hold down the Alt key.
3. While holding Alt, type the code on the numeric keypad.
4. Release the Alt key, and the symbol will appear.

Alt codes for dashes:

• Hyphen (-) → Use the regular – key next to 0 (no Alt code needed)
• En dash (–) → Alt + 0150
• Em dash (—) → Alt + 0151

On Mac (Keyboard Shortcuts)

Mac makes typing dash symbols quick and easy using simple keyboard shortcuts:

• Hyphen (-) → - key
• En dash (–) → Option + -
• Em dash (—) → Option + Shift + -

Just hold the modifier key(s) and press the hyphen key to insert the dash you need.

On iPhone & iPad

You can insert en dashes and em dashes directly from the on-screen keyboard:

• Open the keyboard in any app.
• Tap ?123, then =< to open symbols.
• Long-press the hyphen (-) key.
• Choose – (en dash) or — (em dash) from the popup.

On Android Phones

Most Android keyboards also support dash symbols:

• Switch to the symbols keyboard (?123).
• Long-press the hyphen (-) key.
• Select en dash (–) or em dash (—).
• (On some keyboards, these symbols may appear directly without long-pressing.)

On Chromebook

You can type en dashes and em dashes using Unicode input:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + U, then release.
• Type the Unicode code:
  • 2013 → – (en dash)
  • 2014 → — (em dash)
• Press Enter to insert the symbol.

This works in most text fields and apps on Chrome OS.

How to Type Em Dash and En Dash in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers several simple ways to insert en dashes (–) and em dashes (—), depending on your preference.

AutoCorrect Method

Word can automatically replace certain patterns as you type:

• Type -- → often converts to — (em dash)
• Type space - space → may convert to – (en dash)

Example:
Typing word -- word may become word — word.

This depends on your AutoFormat settings.
To check: File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → AutoFormat As You Type.

Keyboard Shortcuts

If your keyboard has a numeric keypad:

• En dash (–) → Ctrl + - (on numeric keypad)
• Em dash (—) → Ctrl + Alt + - (numeric keypad)

Symbol Menu Method

You can also insert dash symbols manually:

1. Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
2. In the dialog box, find:
   • En dash → Unicode U+2013
   • Em dash → Unicode U+2014
3. Click Insert, then Close.

This method is useful if shortcuts aren’t working or you only need the symbol occasionally.

How to Insert Em Dash in Google Docs

To insert an em dash in Google Docs, you can use shortcuts or a built-in characters list which is available in Google Docs.

Method 1: Special Characters

1. Open your Google Docs file.
2. Now in the “Menu Bar” click the “Insert” tab then navigate down to the “Special Characters”
3. You will see an “Insert special characters” dialog box, now type either en dash or em dash in the search box according to your requirement.
4. Click the symbol to insert it.

You will see big dash like em dash, 2 em dash, 3 em dash options there. Just click the em dash symbol from the option and your big dash symbol will get appear on Google Docs.

Method 2: Alt Code in Google Docs

To save your precious time you can use alt code ALT + 0151 key combinations which are em dash shortcut Google Docs. Please make sure to use the left ALT key of the keyboard and a Numeric keypad.

Method 3: Substitution (Create Your Own Shortcut)

You can make em dash in Google Docs with the help of the Substitution option, and you can also create your own shortcut key in Google Docs. Follow the below steps-

1. Open Google Docs on your desktop PC
2. In the Menu bar, click Tools → Preferences → Substitutions.
3. In Replace, type something like em.
4. In With, paste —.
5. Click OK.

Now, whenever you type em, Google Docs will auto-replace it with an em dash.

How to Make a Long Dash (⸻) in Google Docs

If you want to make long hyphen or long dash in Google Docs like (⸻) then simply press Alt + C + I shortcut keys from the keyboard to open the list of special characters dialog box,

Now type em dash in the search box then select three em dash to create a long dash.

Unicode and HTML Codes for Dash Symbols

Useful for web pages and coding.

Common Mistakes with Dashes

Using a hyphen instead of en dash for ranges

Pages 10-20 (wrong) → Pages 10–20 (correct)

Using hyphens instead of em dash in sentences

I was late – because of traffic.
✔ I was late — because of traffic.

Overusing em dashes
Use them for emphasis, not in every sentence.

Final Thoughts

The hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (—) may look similar, but they play very different roles in writing. Knowing when and how to use each one will instantly improve the clarity and professionalism of your content.

If you just remember one thing:

• Join words → hyphen
• Show ranges → en dash
• Add pauses or emphasis → em dash (long dash)

Mastering these marks will sharpen your writing, improve clarity, and give your sentences rhythm and style. Use them thoughtfully—and your punctuation will work as hard as your words. Now you also know how to type them anywhere — Windows, Mac, Word, Google Docs, or mobile.