P

The letter P is one of the signature “dot–dash-dash–dot” patterns in the Morse alphabet. It has a clear rhythm that feels like a “wave” in the middle – short, long, long, short – which makes it very recognisable once your ear locks onto it.

People often search for things like:

• What is the letter P in Morse code?
• How is the letter P represented in Morse?
• What letter is .–. in Morse code?
• How do you write the letter P in Morse?
• How do you separate letters in Morse code?
• How do you know when a letter ends in Morse code?

This page gives you a focused guide to the letter P: 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 P in Morse Code?

Here is the core fact most learners are looking for:

The letter P in Morse code is:
P = .–.

That means:
dot – dash – dash – dot

In sound form, you can think of it as:

dit – daaah – daaah – dit

A short signal, two long ones in the middle, then a short signal at the end.

Whenever you hear dot, dash, dash, dot with a pause after it, you are very likely listening to the letter P.

How to Write the Letter P in Morse Code

To send P 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 P = .–. 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. Short internal gap (1 unit)
7. Dot (1 unit)
8. 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. P is a medium–long letter: dot + dash + dash + dot, with three short gaps in between.
• 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 P, you feel dit, tiny gap, daaah, tiny gap, daaah, tiny gap, dit, 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 “this letter is finished” signal for the listener.

Why P Is an Important Morse Letter

P is more than just a pattern to memorise – it’s a building block:

• It appears in many everyday words: up, map, deep, help, part, pro, plus, people, and more.
• It mixes dots and dashes in a way that trains you to feel structure: short–long–long–short.
• It belongs to a small group of letters that start and end with dots, which makes it easier to remember as a “framed” pattern.

P also has strong relationships with a few key letters:

• R = .-. (dot–dash–dot)
• F = ..-. (dot–dot–dash–dot)
• J = .— (dot–dash–dash–dash)

You can think of P as “R but with an extra dash in the middle”:

• R: dot – dash – dot
• P: dot – dash – dash – dot

That mental link is very handy when you are decoding at speed.

How P Compares to Similar Morse Patterns

To keep P clear in your mind, compare it directly with neighbouring patterns:

• P = .–.
• R = .-.
• F = ..-.
• J = .—
• L = .-..

Key differences:

• If you hear dot–dash–dot, that is R, not P.
• If you hear dot–dot–dash–dot, that is F.
• If you hear dot–dash–dash–dash, that is J.
• If you hear dot–dash–dot–dot, that is L.
• P is the one that starts and ends with a dot but has two full dashes in the middle: .–.

So when someone asks:

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

You can remember it as “dot, then a long wave, then dot”.

Practical Examples Using the Letter P

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

Examples:

• P as a single letter: .–.
• UP:
  • U = ..-
  • P = .–.
    UP = ..- .–.
• MAP:
  • M = —
  • A = .-
  • P = .–.
    MAP = — .- .–.
• PEAK:
  • P = .–.
  • E = .
  • A = .-
  • K = -.-
    PEAK = .–. . .- -.-
• HELP:
  • H = ….
  • E = .
  • L = .-..
  • P = .–.
    HELP = …. . .-.. .–.

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

Mini Training: Learn to Feel P (.–.)

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

1. Decode the pattern

Look at or listen to:

.–.

Ask yourself:

What letter is this in Morse code?

Correct answer: P.

Repeat several times:

• Hear “dit – daaah – daaah – dit” → say “P” instantly.
• Visualise the letter P every time you imagine dot–dash–dash–dot with a pause after it.

2. Encode the letter

Now reverse it.

Think of the letter P and send:

dot – dash – dash – dot

You can tap it with your finger:

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

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

3. Contrast P with R, F, and J

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

• .-. → R
• .–. → P
• ..-. → F
• .— → J

Ask yourself each time:

How many dashes did I hear?
Were there dots at both ends, or only at the start?
Was there one dash, two dashes, or three dashes after the first dot?

If it started with a dot, had two dashes in the middle, and ended with a dot, you are hearing P.