Morse code alphabet
P in Morse Code
The letter P in Morse code is .--. — spoken "di-dah-dah-dit". Press play to hear it, flash it as light, or copy the code.
What does .--. mean in Morse code?
.--. is the letter P in International Morse code. The code is made of 2 dits (short) and 2 dahs (long), which is why it is read aloud as "di-dah-dah-dit". It takes 11 time units to send — at a standard 20 words per minute that is roughly 660 milliseconds.
P is the reverse of itself — read ·−−· backwards and nothing changes. It is one of the less common letters in English, so it received a longer four-symbol code.
How P 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 P drawn to scale:
How to remember P
Say the phrase a-PIZ-ZA-pie 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 P:
Words that start with P
P at a glance
| Morse code | .--. |
|---|---|
| Spoken | di-dah-dah-dit |
| Symbols | 2 dits, 2 dahs |
| Length | 11 units · ≈660 ms at 20 WPM |
| NATO phonetic | Papa |
| Frequency in English | ≈1.9% — #19 of 26 letters |
| Position in alphabet | 16 of 26 |
| Reversed | same code backwards (palindrome) |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write P in Morse code?
The letter P is written .--. — 2 dits and 2 dahs. Spoken aloud it is "di-dah-dah-dit".
What does .--. mean in Morse code?
.--. is the letter P P in International Morse code. If you see or hear "dit dah dah dit", it stands for P.How long does P take to send?
P lasts 11 time units (a dit is 1 unit, a dah is 3, with 1 unit between symbols). At 20 WPM that is about 660 ms; at a beginner speed of 12 WPM about 1100 ms — plus a 3-unit pause before the next character.
What is the NATO phonetic word for P?
In the NATO phonetic alphabet P is "Papa". Radio operators often say the word and then send .--. so the letter cannot be misheard.