W

The letter W is one of the core “dot-then-dashes” patterns in the Morse alphabet. It feels like a quick launch followed by a glide: one short dot and then two long dashes. Because it appears in so many common words, it is a very useful pattern to lock in early.

People often search for things like:

• What is the letter W in Morse code?
• How is the letter W represented in Morse?
• What letter is .– in Morse code?
• How do you write the letter W in Morse code?
• How long is the letter W in Morse code?
• How do you separate letters in Morse code?

This page gives you a focused guide to the letter W: its exact pattern, timing rules, how it relates to similar letters, and simple drills to make it automatic in both decoding and sending.

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

Here is the core fact most learners are looking for:

The letter W in Morse code is:
W = .–

That means:
dot – dash – dash

In sound form, you can think of it as:

dit – daaah – daaah

One short signal followed by two long ones.

Whenever you hear dot–dash–dash followed by a pause, you are very likely listening to the letter W.

How to Write the Letter W in Morse Code

To send W correctly, you combine the 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 W = .– this becomes:

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

This directly answers some of the classic rule questions:

• How long is each letter in Morse code?
  Each letter is as long as its dots and dashes plus the 1-unit internal gaps. W is a medium-length letter: one dot and two dashes with two short gaps inside.
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?
  Inside a letter, the gaps are very short (1 unit). When the silence stretches to around 3 units, that marks the end of the letter and the beginning of the next one. For W, you feel dit, tiny gap, daaah, tiny gap, daaah, then a noticeably longer pause.
• How do you separate letters in Morse code?
  You separate letters by leaving that 3-unit gap between the end of one letter and the start of the next. That longer pause is the clear “end of letter” marker.

Why W Is an Important Morse Letter

W is a key pattern in real-world Morse:

• It appears in many very common words: we, was, with, will, well, word, world, who, where, when, and more.
• It trains your ear to hear a pattern that starts quickly and then stretches out with two long dashes.
• It connects directly to other important mixed patterns, especially J and P.

You can see W as part of a small family of dot-led, dash-heavy letters:

• A = .- (dot–dash)
• W = .– (dot–dash–dash)
• J = .— (dot–dash–dash–dash)

You can think of W as “A with an extra dash”:

• A: dot – dash
• W: dot – dash – dash

Once you remember A, it is much easier to extend that rhythm to W.

How W Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

To keep W clear in your mind, compare it directly with nearby patterns:

• W = .–
• A = .-
• J = .—
• P = .–.
• G = –.

Key differences:

• If you hear dot–dash only, that is A, not W.
• If you hear dot–dash–dash–dash (.—), that is J.
• If you hear dot–dash–dash–dot (.–.), that is P.
• If you hear dash–dash–dot (–.), that is G (note that it starts with dashes, not a dot).
• W is specifically dot–dash–dash: .–.

So when someone asks:

What letter is .– in Morse code?
The answer is: W.

You can remember it as “A plus one more dash”.

Practical Examples Using the Letter W

Seeing and hearing W inside real words helps your brain make the pattern feel natural.

Examples:

• W as a single letter: .–
• WE:
  • W = .–
  • E = .
    WE = .– .
• WAS:
  • W = .–
  • A = .-
  • S = …
    WAS = .– .- …
• WILL:
  • W = .–
  • I = ..
  • L = .-..
  • L = .-..
    WILL = .– .. .-.. .-..
• WORD:
  • W = .–
  • O = —
  • R = .-.
  • D = -..
    WORD = .– — .-. -..
• NEW:
  • N = -.
  • E = .
  • W = .–
    NEW = -. . .–

Every time you see or send these words, you reinforce that .– is W.

Mini Training: Learn to Feel W (.–)

Here are a few quick drills to make the letter W feel automatic.

1. Decode the pattern

Look at or listen to:

.–

Ask yourself:

What letter is this in Morse code?

Correct answer: W.

Repeat several times:

• Hear “dit – daaah – daaah” → say “W” instantly.
• Visualise the letter W every time you imagine one dot followed by two dashes with a pause after them.

2. Encode the letter

Now reverse it.

Think of the letter W and send:

dot – dash – dash

You can tap it with your finger:

short tap, tiny gap, long tap, tiny gap, long tap.

This links the rhythm to your hand and your ear, not just your eyes.

3. Contrast W with A, J, and P

To avoid mixing W with similar letters, practise them as a small set:

• .- → A
• .– → W
• .— → J
• .–. → P

Ask yourself each time:

How many dashes came after the first dot?
Did the pattern end with a dash or with a dot?
Was there one dash, two dashes, or three dashes at the end?

If it starts with a dot and has exactly two dashes after it, you are hearing W.