A

If you are trying to really understand Morse letters one by one, the letter A is the perfect place to start.

People search for things like:

• “What is the letter A in Morse code?”
• “How do you write a letter in Morse code?”
• “How long is each letter in Morse code?”
• “How do you know when a letter ends in Morse?”

This page exists to give you one clean answer hub for all of that – focused only on the letter A.

If you ever feel lost, remember: once you truly understand a few core letters like A, E, T, N and M, the rest of the Morse alphabet becomes much easier.

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

Let’s start with the fast, direct answer.

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

One dot, followed by one dash.

Visually, it is short → long.

You can think of it as a tiny rhythm:

“dit – daaah”

That’s it. Every time you see or hear .-, you are looking at the letter A.

How to Write the Letter A in Morse Code

When people ask “how to write a letter in Morse code”, they are usually missing one key piece: timing.

Morse is not just dots and dashes on paper. It is a timing system.

Here is the basic timing rule set that also applies to the letter A:

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

So when you send the letter A (.–):

1. You tap a short dot (1 unit).
2. You leave a tiny gap of 1 unit.
3. You send a long dash (3 units).
4. Then, before sending the next letter, you pause for 3 units.

That timing system answers a lot of related questions:

• “How long is each letter in Morse code?”
  → Letters depend on their dots and dashes, but a dot is always 1 unit and a dash is 3 units.
• “How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?”
  → The small gap inside the letter is 1 unit, while the gap between letters is 3 units, so you feel a slightly longer pause.
• “How do you separate letters in Morse code?”
  → You simply leave a pause of 3 time units before starting the next pattern.

Inside the letter: tight rhythm.
Between letters: slightly longer pause.
Between words: clearly noticeable pause.

Why A Is Such an Important Morse Letter

The letter A (.–) is often one of the first letters people learn in Morse, and there is a reason for that:

• It combines both Morse elements: dot + dash.
• It is very easy to hear and recognize.
• It appears in a lot of common words, names, and abbreviations.

In many training systems, A is introduced early alongside:

• E = . (single dot)
• T = – (single dash)
• N = -.
• M = —

Once you are fluent with those, your brain starts to “feel” Morse instead of counting.

How A Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

To avoid confusion, it is useful to compare A with other letters that look or sound close.

• A = .-
• N = -. (the reverse of A)
• M = — (two dashes)
• R = .-. (like A but with an extra dot at the end)
• E = . (just the first part of A – the single dot)

This also ties into a popular question:

“In Morse code, what letter represents a single dot?”
The answer is: E = .

So if you hear only a single, short beep, that is not A – it is E.

A is simply that E with an extra dash added after a tiny gap.

Practical Examples Using the Letter A

Here are a few simple examples where the letter A shows up as .−:

• “A” as a single stand-alone letter: .−
• In the word “AT”: .− −
• In “MORSE ALPHABET”:
  • A in ALPHABET is .−
• In radio / NATO phonetics: “Alpha” begins with the letter A (.−).

When you listen to Morse audio, try to spot the A by catching that quick short–long rhythm inside words.

Mini Training: Learn to Feel A (.–)

You do not need a full training app to start. You can already use a simple drill structure:

1. Decode the letter

Hear or see this:

.-

Ask yourself:

“What letter is this in Morse code?”

The correct answer is: A

Repeat that a few times:

• Decode .− → say “A” out loud.
• Write it down as both A and .- to link visual and mental memory.

2. Encode the letter

Reverse the process:

Think of the letter A → write .−
Think “A” in your head, then tap: short – long.

You can even tap it lightly on a table:
tap (short) → pause → tap (longer).

3. Mix with other letters

To make things more realistic:

• Mix A (.–) with E (.), T (–), and N (-.).
• Try to recognize them purely by rhythm:

Examples to decode:

• . – → ? (A)
• . → ? (E)
• – → ? (T)
• -. → ? (N)

This kind of small challenge creates a huge memory boost. After a while, you do not think “dot dash” anymore, you just recognize A as a sound pattern.