M

The letter M is one of the cleanest patterns in the Morse alphabet. It is short, symmetric, and easy to hear, which makes it a perfect “anchor” letter when you are learning dash-heavy symbols.

People often search for things like:

• What is the letter M in Morse code?
• How is the letter M represented in Morse?
• What letter is — in Morse code?
• How long is each letter in Morse code?
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?

This page is your focused guide to the letter M: its pattern, timing rules, how it compares to similar letters, and simple drills to make it automatic in both decoding and sending.

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

Here is the core fact:

The letter M in Morse code is:
M = —

That means:
dash – dash

In sound form, you can think of it as:

daaah – daaah

Two long, equal beeps back to back. When you hear two strong dashes in sequence followed by a pause, you are almost certainly listening to the letter M.

How to Write the Letter M in Morse Code

To send M correctly, you combine the simple pattern with the standard Morse timing rules.

Global timing rules:

• 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 M = — this becomes:

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

This timing connects directly to common questions like:

How long is each letter in Morse code?
Each letter is as long as its dots and dashes plus internal gaps. M is compact and strong: two dashes with one short gap between them.

How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?
Inside a letter, the gaps are very short (1 unit). When the pause stretches to about 3 units, that marks the end of the current letter and the beginning of the next one.

How do you separate letters in Morse code?
You separate letters by leaving that 3-unit gap before starting the next pattern.

Why M Is an Important Morse Letter

M might look simple, but it carries a lot of weight in the Morse alphabet:

• It is part of a core group of very frequent consonants and appears in words like “am”, “me”, “more”, “made”, “many”, and “Morse”.
• It trains your ear to recognise a pattern made of dashes only, without any dots.
• It sits in a very important family with T and O, which are also dash-only letters.

You can think of this family as a small ladder of dashes:

• T = – (one dash)
• M = — (two dashes)
• O = — (three dashes)

Once that ladder is clear in your head, dash-only letters become very easy to decode.

How M Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

To keep M clear and avoid confusion, compare it directly with nearby patterns:

• T = –
• M = —
• O = —
• G = –.
• Q = –.-

The key comparisons:

• If you hear one dash only, that is T.
• If you hear two dashes and then a pause, that is M.
• If you hear three dashes, that is O.
• If you hear two dashes followed by a dot (dash–dash–dot), that is G, not M.

So when someone asks:

What letter is — in Morse code?
The answer is: M.

You can remember it as “middle of the dash ladder” between T and O.

Practical Examples Using the Letter M

Putting M into real words makes the pattern feel natural instead of abstract.

Examples:

• M alone: —
• ME:
  • M = —
  • E = .
    ME = — .
• AM:
  • A = .-
  • M = —
    AM = .- —
• MORSE:
  • M = —
  • O = —
  • R = .-.
  • S = …
  • E = .
• TIME:
  • T = –
  • I = ..
  • M = —
  • E = .

Every time you see or send these words, you reinforce the idea that “double dash” equals M.

Mini Training: Learn to Feel M ( — )

Here are a few short drills to lock M into your memory.

1. Decode the pattern

Look at or listen to:

—

Ask yourself:

What letter is this in Morse code?

Correct answer: M.

Repeat several times:

• Hear two long, equal dashes → say “M” instantly.
• Visualise the letter M every time you imagine dash–dash with a tiny internal gap.

2. Encode the letter

Now reverse it.

Think of the letter M and send:

dash – dash

Tap it on a desk:

long tap, tiny gap, long tap.

You are training your hand to reproduce the exact rhythm, not just your eyes to read it.

3. Contrast M with T and O

To avoid mixing M with its closest neighbours, practise them as a set:

• • → T
• — → M
• — → O

Ask yourself each time:

How many dashes did I hear before the pause?

If the answer is “two dashes”, that is M.