A in Morse Code
The letter A is the first letter of the English alphabet. In International Morse code it is sent as .- (written with dots and dashes): one short signal, then one long signal.
Pattern and timing
- Dots: 1
- Dashes: 1
- Total length: 5 time units (a dot is 1 unit, a dash is 3 units, and the gap between the two signals is 1 unit)
How to hear A
Say it as “dit-dah”: a short tap, a single unit of silence, then a long tap. The silence inside the letter is shorter than the silence between letters, which is what keeps A separate from the letters around it when you listen to a message.
Letters that sound similar
A is easy to confuse with letters whose pattern differs from it by only one signal. Check these first when you are not sure:
- E (.): one dot, which is A without its dash
- T (-): one dash, which is A without its dot
- I (..): two dots, so the second signal is short instead of long
- R (.-.): A with an extra dot at the end
- U (..-): A with an extra dot at the start
- K (-.-), M (–), W (.–): patterns that change the first or last signal
The quickest way to tell A apart is its order: short first, then long. N (-.) uses the same two signals in the reverse order.
Words that start with A
- ARE: .- .-. .
- AND: .- -. -..
- ALL: .- .-.. .-..
- AT: .- –
Letters are separated by a single space, and words by a slash (/). Type any of these words into the Morse code to text decoder to check your timing.
Practice
Use the Morse code practice tools to hear A next to E and T, the two letters it is most often confused with. For the full chart, see the Morse code alphabet page.
For the full letter and number standard, see the International Telecommunication Union recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1, which defines the timing used on this page.
How long A lasts at 20 WPM
At 20 words per minute, one time unit lasts about 60 milliseconds. A is 5 units long, so the whole letter takes about 300 milliseconds: one short dot, a one-unit gap, and a dash that lasts three times as long as a dot. Practicing at a steady speed like this trains you to hear A as one complete rhythm rather than two separate sounds.
More words that use A
- AFTER: .- ..-. – . .-.
- AGAIN: .- –. .- .. -.
- ABOUT: .- -… — ..- –
- ALWAYS: .- .-.. .– .- -.– …
Notice that A appears at the start of most of these words. When you hear the short-then-long pattern at the beginning of a word, check whether the next letters match one of these examples. The Morse code to text decoder is useful for checking your guesses.
Practice drill for A
Send A five times in a row at 15 WPM, then switch to ARE and AND. Listen for the same short-then-long shape each time. When you can recognize A without looking at the chart, move on to E and T, the letters A is most often confused with.
Why A in Morse code is a good first letter
A is one of the first letters most learners master, because its pattern is short and easy to recognize: one dot, then one dash. Practice it alongside E and T, since all three are simple combinations of dots and dashes. Once A feels natural, the same listening habit will help you learn the longer letters, and the Morse code practice tools make it easy to repeat them until they become automatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A in Morse code?
A is .- (one dot, then one dash).
How long is A in Morse code?
A lasts 5 time units in total, including the gap inside the letter.
Which letters look like A in Morse code?
E (one dot) and T (one dash) are the closest, because each differs from A by one signal. N reverses the order of A’s two signals.