Reference plate · Letter 12 of 26
L in Morse code
L in Morse code is ".-..": dot, dash, dot and dot, spoken "di-dah-di-dit". It is one of the 12 four-element letters, so it sits four steps from the root of the Morse code tree, and it is the mirror image of Y, which is dash-dot-dash-dash. The 7-day plan teaches L on day 5. At 20 words per minute it takes 540 milliseconds to send.
di-dah-di-dit
- Code
- ·−··
- At 20 WPM
- 540ms
- Plan day
- 5
L · di-dah-di-dit
dot dash dot dot
L at a glance
Where L sits in the Morse code tree
The path through the Morse code tree to L: from the root, a dot to E, a dash to A, a dot to R then a dot to L.
In the Morse code tree a dot branches left and a dash branches right, so every character sits exactly where its own code leads. L sits four steps from the root, directly below R. No letter hangs below L: it is a leaf of the tree.
See the whole Morse code treeCharacters confused with L
L is easiest to mistake for Y, F, H, P or Z. Practise them back to back until the difference is a sound rather than a count.
How to learn L
7-day plan
The plan teaches L on day 5, together with H, V, F, P and J. Learn it by its sound, "di-dah-di-dit", at full speed rather than by counting its elements.
In the Koch method it is character 9 of 36.
Practise
Practice brings L back just before you would forget it, in all three skills: copying it by ear, reading it, and sending it yourself.
Words with L in them
Questions about L in Morse code
- What is L in Morse code?
- L in Morse code is ".-..", spoken di-dah-di-dit. It is four elements long (dot dash dot dot) and takes 540 milliseconds to send at 20 words per minute. It sits four steps from the root of the Morse code tree.
- Which Morse code characters are confused with L?
- L (.-..) is easy to confuse with Y (-.--), its mirror image with dots and dashes swapped, and with H (....), P (.--.) and Z (--..), each of which differs from it by a single element. Practise them back to back until the difference is a sound rather than a count.
- How do you learn L in Morse code?
- By its sound, not its shape: L is spoken di-dah-di-dit. Listen to it at full speed instead of counting its elements. MorseForge's 7-day plan teaches it on day 5, together with H, V, F, P and J.