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How to Say ‘Please wait a moment.’ in Japanese

少々お待ちください。

shoushou o machi kudasai

[shoh-shoh oh mah-chee koo-dah-sigh]

🇯🇵 In Japan: This is standard staff language when asking a customer to wait briefly. It's polite and common, whether they're checking a table, bringing drinks, or confirming something.

Phrase Breakdown

少々

shoushou

[shoh-shoh]

a moment; a little

A polite word meaning a short time or a moment.

Example

少々お待ちください。

Please wait a moment.

お待ちください。

o machi kudasai

please wait

A polite request to wait. Together with 少々, it means 'Please wait a moment.'

Example

あちらでお待ちください。

Please wait over there.

Words in this phrase

お

[oh]

honorific/polite prefix

A polite prefix that makes the expression sound more respectful.

Example

ていねいに言うために、おをつけます。

To say it politely, you add o.

待ち

machi

[mah-chee]

waiting

Noun/stem from 待つ, used in polite requests to wait.

Example

ここでお待ちください。

Please wait here.

ください

kudasai

[koo-dah-sigh]

please do

A polite request expression added after the te-form of a verb.

Example

確認してください。

Please confirm it.

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