D

Once you are comfortable with A, B, and C, the letter D is a natural next step in the Morse alphabet. It is simple, compact, and appears in a lot of common words, which makes it a very useful letter to master early.

People often search for things like:

• What is the letter D in Morse code?
• How do you write D in Morse code?
• What letter is -.. in Morse?
• How long is a letter in Morse code?
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?

This page gives you a clean, focused hub for everything related to the letter D: its pattern, timing, how it compares to similar letters, and how to train it so it becomes automatic.

Quick Answer: What Is the Letter D in Morse Code?

Here is the direct answer most people are looking for:

The letter D in Morse code is:
D = -..

That is:

• dash
• dot
• dot

In sound form, you can think of it as:

daaah – dit – dit

So whenever you hear or see a long signal followed by two short ones, you are most likely looking at the letter D.

How to Write the Letter D in Morse Code

To send the letter D correctly, you need the pattern and the timing rules together. The global Morse timing rules are:

• Dot = 1 time unit
• Dash = 3 time units
• Gap between dots and dashes inside the same letter = 1 unit
• Gap between letters = 3 units
• Gap between words = 7 units

For D = -.. this means:

1. Dash (3 units)
2. Short internal gap (1 unit)
3. Dot (1 unit)
4. Short internal gap (1 unit)
5. Dot (1 unit)
6. Then a 3-unit pause before the next letter begins

This structure helps answer common rule questions:

• How long is each letter in Morse code?
  Each letter lasts as long as its dots (1 unit each) and dashes (3 units each) plus the short internal gaps. D is fairly compact: one dash, two dots, and two short gaps.
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?
  Inside the letter, gaps are short (1 unit). When you feel a longer pause of about 3 units, that marks the end of the letter and the start of the next one.
• How do you separate letters in Morse code?
  You simply leave that 3-unit gap before sending the next letter’s pattern.

Why D Matters in the Morse Alphabet

The letter D is important because:

• It is one of the core consonants that appears in many short words (bad, did, day, code, word).
• It teaches you to handle a dash followed by multiple dots, which is a pattern you will see again in letters like B and numbers like 6.
• It acts as a bridge between very simple symbols (like T = – and N = -.) and slightly more complex ones.

D also fits nicely into a family of related patterns:

• T = –
• N = -.
• D = -..
• B = -…
• 6 = -….

Training D in context with those helps you hear how adding more dots changes the meaning.

How D Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

Most confusion comes from symbols that begin the same way. D is part of a “dash family” that all start with a dash but end differently.

Key comparisons:

• D = -.. (dash + two dots)
• B = -… (dash + three dots)
• N = -. (dash + one dot)
• T = – (single dash)
• 6 = -…. (dash + four dots, number not a letter)

You can think of it like a ladder of dots after a dash:

• One dot → N
• Two dots → D
• Three dots → B
• Four dots → 6

So when someone asks:

What letter is this in Morse code: -..?
The answer is: D.

Practical Examples Using the Letter D

Seeing D inside real words helps your brain solidify the pattern.

Examples:

• D as a single letter: -..
• DO:
  • D = -..
  • O = —
    So DO = -.. —
• BAD:
  • B = -…
  • A = .-
  • D = -..
    So BAD = -… .- -..
• CODE:
  • C = -.-.
  • O = —
  • D = -..
  • E = .
    So CODE = -.-. — -.. .

Next time you listen to Morse, try to “hunt” the dash-dot-dot rhythm inside longer words.

Mini Training: Learn to Feel D ( -.. )

Here are some simple drills to make the letter D feel natural.

1. Decode the pattern

Look at or listen to this pattern:

-..

Ask yourself:

What letter is this in Morse code?

Correct answer: D.

Repeat a few times:

• See -.. and say “D” out loud.
• Imagine the sound as daaah – dit – dit.

2. Encode the letter

Now reverse it and produce the pattern yourself.

Think of the letter D and send:

• dash, short pause, dot, short pause, dot.

You can tap it lightly on a desk:

• Long tap (dash), tiny gap, short tap (dot), tiny gap, short tap (dot).

This builds muscle and timing memory.

3. Contrast D with N, B, and T

To avoid mix-ups, practise D next to similar patterns:

• . → T
• -. → N
• -.. → D
• -… → B

Ask yourself for each:

Which one is this?
How many dots came after the dash?

With a bit of repetition, your brain will automatically map “dash + two dots” to D without conscious effort.