How to Say ‘Please wait’ in Japanese
お待ちください
o machi kudasai
[o ma-chee koo-da-sai]
💬 Usage Tip: [待つ] means “to wait.” [お待ちください] is the polite request form with honorific-style [お].
🇯🇵 In Japan: In customer service Japanese, small additions like [お] make speech sound softer and more respectful.
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[o]
honorific prefix
Adds politeness to the following word.
お待ちください。すぐ行きます。
Please wait. I will go right away.
待ち
machi
[ma-chee]
wait
Stem of 待つ, meaning to wait.
少し待ちます。
I will wait a little.
ください
kudasai
[koo-da-sai]
please
Makes the expression a polite request.
ここでお待ちください。
Please wait here.
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