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How to Say ‘Could you please hold for a moment?’ in Japanese

少々お待ちいただけますか。

shoushou o machi itadake masu ka

[shoh-shoh oh machi i-ta-da-ke mahs ka]

🇯🇵 In Japan: Staff say this before putting you on hold to check the booking. Expect hold music, and you can simply wait without replying beyond はい "yes".

Phrase Breakdown

少々

shoushou

[shoh-shoh]

a moment; a little

A polite word meaning 'a moment' or 'a little,' often used by staff when asking customers to wait.

Example

少々お待ちください。

Please wait a moment.

お待ちいただけますか。

o machi itadake masu ka

could you please wait?

This is a very polite request: 'could I have you wait?' Raise your tone slightly on the final か.

Example

こちらでお待ちいただけますか。

Could you please wait here?

Words in this phrase

お

[oh]

honorific/polite prefix

A polite prefix that makes a word sound more refined or respectful.

Example

おすすめのおは、ことばを丁寧にします。

The o in osusume makes the word more polite.

待ち

machi

[machi]

wait

Remain in expectation or anticipation for something.

Example

待っています。

I am waiting.

いただけ

itadake

[i-ta-da-ke]

could you please

Respectfully asks someone to do something.

Example

手伝っていただけますか。

Could you help me?

ます

masu

[mahs]

polite verb ending

A standard polite ending added to verbs, often used in customer service and formal speech.

Example

予約を確認します。

I will confirm the reservation.

か

[ka]

question particle

Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.

Example

行くか？

Shall we go?

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