🙏⏳

How to Say ‘Please wait a moment’ in German

Bitte warten Sie kurz

BIT-teh VAR-ten zee koorts

[BIT-teh VAR-ten zee koorts]

💬 Usage Tip: For a polite instruction, the verb comes first, followed by Sie: warten Sie, kommen Sie. kurz "briefly" softens it to "just a moment".

Phrase Breakdown

Bitte warten

BIT-teh VAR-ten

Please wait

'w' sounds like English 'v': 'BIT-teh VAR-ten'.

Example

Bitte warten hier.

Please wait here.

Words in this phrase

Bitte

[BIT-teh]

please

Polite word used for requests or instructions.

Example

Bitte kommt pünktlich zum Set.

Please come to the set on time.

warten

[VAR-ten]

to wait

Verb for staying until something happens; here a polite command.

Example

Wir warten auf den Bus.

We are waiting for the bus.

Sie kurz

zee koorts

(you) briefly

'Sie' is the formal 'you'. In 'kurz', the 'u' is short and the ending sounds like 'koorts'.

Example

Kommen Sie kurz!

Come here for a moment!

Words in this phrase

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal 'you' used in polite professional conversations.

Example

Ich freue mich, Sie hier auf der Jobmesse zu sehen.

I am pleased to see you here at the job fair.

kurz

[koorts]

briefly, for a moment

Means short; as an adverb, for a short time.

Example

Kann ich kurz telefonieren?

Can I make a quick call?

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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