Morse code alphabet
Y in Morse Code
The letter Y in Morse code is -.-- — spoken "dah-di-dah-dah". Press play to hear it, flash it as light, or copy the code.
What does -.-- mean in Morse code?
-.-- is the letter Y in International Morse code. The code is made of 1 dit (short) and 3 dahs (long), which is why it is read aloud as "dah-di-dah-dah". It takes 13 time units to send — at a standard 20 words per minute that is roughly 780 milliseconds.
Y starts like K (−·−) and then adds one more dah. Beginners confuse it with Q (−−·−), which uses the same symbols in a different order — listen for where the lone dit sits.
How Y 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 Y drawn to scale:
How to remember Y
Say the phrase YEL-low YO-YO 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 Y:
Words that start with Y
Y at a glance
| Morse code | -.-- |
|---|---|
| Spoken | dah-di-dah-dah |
| Symbols | 1 dit, 3 dahs |
| Length | 13 units · ≈780 ms at 20 WPM |
| NATO phonetic | Yankee |
| Frequency in English | ≈2% — #18 of 26 letters |
| Position in alphabet | 25 of 26 |
| Reversed | --.- = Q |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write Y in Morse code?
The letter Y is written -.-- — 1 dit and 3 dahs. Spoken aloud it is "dah-di-dah-dah".
What does -.-- mean in Morse code?
-.-- is the letter Y Y in International Morse code. If you see or hear "dah dit dah dah", it stands for Y.How long does Y take to send?
Y lasts 13 time units (a dit is 1 unit, a dah is 3, with 1 unit between symbols). At 20 WPM that is about 780 ms; at a beginner speed of 12 WPM about 1300 ms — plus a 3-unit pause before the next character.
What is the NATO phonetic word for Y?
In the NATO phonetic alphabet Y is "Yankee". Radio operators often say the word and then send -.-- so the letter cannot be misheard.