use Data::Dumper; my %user_types =( 037 => [ 'member', '1' ], 165 => [ 'public', '2' ], 022 => [ 'staff', '3' ], 683 => [ 'babe', '4' ], 001 => [ 'old fart', '5' ] ); print Dumper( \%user_types ); __END__ $VAR1 = { '1' => [ 'old fart', '5' ], '18' => [ 'staff', '3' ], '165' => [ 'public', '2' ], '683' => [ 'babe', '4' ], '31' => [ 'member', '1' ] };