un instant
To say "bear with me" in French, use un instant.
The phrase is used to politely ask someone to wait a short time while you do something. While un instant itself is a noun phrase meaning "one moment," you can expand it into a full request by using the imperative form Attendez un instant to mean "Wait a moment."
Which one should you use?
un instant is a neutral way to say "one moment," whereas Attendez un instant is a polite imperative command meaning "Wait a moment."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
un instant is a neutral and polite expression suitable for both professional and casual settings. For much more formal situations, such as when you want to say "I kindly ask you to wait," you should use Je vous prie de bien vouloir patienter.
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking regions, particularly in parts of Africa, people might use un peu de patience to mean 'bear with me'. This shifts the focus from the time itself to the listener's virtue of patience.
- The word instant is a direct descendant of the Latin 'instans', which literally means 'standing near' or 'pressing upon'.
- If you are in a hurry, you might hear a French speaker say un petit moment instead of un instant. Even though 'moment' and 'instant' are synonyms, adding 'petit' can actually make the request feel more apologetic and less like a command.
Examples in context
- Attendez un instant, s'il vous plaît.Wait a moment, please.
- Donnez-moi un instant pour chercher.Give me a moment to look.
- Il me faut un instant pour réfléchir.I need a moment to think.
Example conversation
At a cafe, Nathan is looking for his wallet.
- ChloéTu as ton portefeuille, Nathan ?Do you have your wallet, Nathan?
- NathanAttends un instant, je le cherche.Bear with me a moment, I am looking for it.
- ChloéPas de problème, prends ton temps.No problem, take your time.
- NathanAh, le voilà !Ah, here it is!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries instant, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
