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How to Say ‘May I wait?’ in Japanese

待ってもいいですか？

matsu te mo ii desu ka

[maht teh moh ee dess kah]

💬 Usage Tip: The pattern 〜てもいいですか？ asks permission: take the て-form of a verb and add もいいですか. For example, 座ってもいいですか？ means "May I sit?"

Phrase Breakdown

待っても

matsu te mo

even if I wait

待って (matte) is the te-form of 'to wait'. Pause briefly on the small っ before 'te'.

Example

待っても来ません。

Even if I wait, they don't come.

Words in this phrase

待っ

matsu

[maht]

wait

From 待つ, meaning to wait.

Example

家族が待っています。

My family is waiting.

て

[teh]

te-form ending

て connects actions or makes polite requests and set expressions.

Example

座ってください。

Please sit down.

も

[moh]

also; even

With で, it forms でも, meaning but.

Example

はい、でも、もう少し先です。

Yes, but it is a little farther ahead.

いいですか？

ii desu ka

is it okay?

Combined with the ても form, it asks for permission. Use a rising tone at the end.

Example

座ってもいいですか？

May I sit down?

Words in this phrase

いい

[ee]

good; okay

A common word for something being good, fine, or acceptable.

Example

その形でいいです。

That shape is fine.

です

desu

[dess]

is; am; are

The polite copula used to say something is a certain way.

Example

赤は人気です。

Red is popular.

か

[kah]

question particle

か is placed at the end of a sentence to mark it as a question in polite Japanese.

Example

先生ですか。

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