Morse code alphabet
L in Morse Code
The letter L in Morse code is .-.. — spoken "di-dah-di-dit". Press play to hear it, flash it as light, or copy the code.
What does .-.. mean in Morse code?
.-.. is the letter L in International Morse code. The code is made of 3 dits (short) and 1 dah (long), which is why it is read aloud as "di-dah-di-dit". It takes 9 time units to send — at a standard 20 words per minute that is roughly 540 milliseconds.
L is often mistaken for F (··−·) and for R (·−·). The trick is that L begins with a dit and then immediately goes long; R has the same start but stops after one more dit.
How L is timed
Morse timing is built from one unit — the length of a dit. A dah is three units, and there is one silent unit between the symbols of a letter. Here is L drawn to scale:
How to remember L
Say the phrase a-LIGHT-er-fluid to the rhythm of the code — the stressed syllables are the dahs, the rest are dits. Hear it a few times with the player above and the phrase will come back by itself.
Easy to confuse with
When you are learning by ear, these codes sound close to L:
Words that start with L
L at a glance
| Morse code | .-.. |
|---|---|
| Spoken | di-dah-di-dit |
| Symbols | 3 dits, 1 dah |
| Length | 9 units · ≈540 ms at 20 WPM |
| NATO phonetic | Lima |
| Frequency in English | ≈4% — #11 of 26 letters |
| Position in alphabet | 12 of 26 |
| Reversed | ..-. = F |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write L in Morse code?
The letter L is written .-.. — 3 dits and 1 dah. Spoken aloud it is "di-dah-di-dit".
What does .-.. mean in Morse code?
.-.. is the letter L L in International Morse code. If you see or hear "dit dah dit dit", it stands for L.How long does L take to send?
L lasts 9 time units (a dit is 1 unit, a dah is 3, with 1 unit between symbols). At 20 WPM that is about 540 ms; at a beginner speed of 12 WPM about 900 ms — plus a 3-unit pause before the next character.
What is the NATO phonetic word for L?
In the NATO phonetic alphabet L is "Lima". Radio operators often say the word and then send .-.. so the letter cannot be misheard.