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 a very standard polite service phrase you'll hear from staff in restaurants and shops. In everyday life, a friend would usually say something more casual instead of [少々お待ちください。]
Phrase Breakdown
少々
shoushou
[shoh-shoh]
a moment; a little
A polite word meaning a short time or a little bit.
少々時間があります。
I have a little time.
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix added to some words to sound more courteous.
お水をください。
Please give me water.
待ち
machi
[mah-chee]
wait
The noun or verb stem of 待つ, used in polite expressions.
少し待ちます。
I will wait a little.
ください
kudasai
[koo-dah-sigh]
please
A polite request word used after te-form verbs.
こちらを見てください。
Please look here.
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