How to Say “Hold Please” in Spanish

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espere, por favor
The English phrase "hold please" can be said in Spanish as espere, por favor.
In Spanish, several phrases are used to request that a person wait on the telephone. You can use espere, por favor as a standard polite request. For a more relaxed or casual tone, you might say Espera un momento, por favor. In very informal settings, particularly in Spain and parts of Latin America, it is common to say Un segundito, por favor. to mean "just a second, please.". If you need to emphasize the importance of the call, you can say Por favor, aguarde un instante, es una llamada importante to mean "Please wait a moment, it's an important call.".

Which one should you use?

The choice of words depends on your relationship with the caller and the level of formality. While espere, por favor is the standard polite way to ask a caller to hold, espera, por favor is the informal version used with friends or people you address as tú. In professional environments, such as those using automated systems or professional operators, the phrase manténgase a la espera is used to mean "stay on the line" or "stay waiting".

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the formal Por favor, aguarde. is common. In those same countries of Argentina and Uruguay, you may also hear the specific phrase Espera un cacho, por favor. In Mexico and some Central American countries, Un momentito, por favor. is a frequent way to ask someone to wait.

How does it change in a sentence?

The form espere is the formal imperative of the verb esperar, which is used when addressing someone with the polite usted pronoun.

Did you know?

  • The verb esperar is used both for 'to wait' and 'to hope'. Depending on the context, a phrase like estoy esperando can mean either 'I am waiting' or 'I am hoping'.
  • If you are in Argentina or Uruguay, you might hear a caller asked to wait for 'un cacho'. While 'cacho' usually means a piece or a chunk of something, in this local slang it functions as a measurement for a very short period of time.
  • The word favor in por favor shares the same linguistic root as the English word 'favour'. Both trace back to the Latin 'faveō', which means to be favorably disposed toward someone.

Examples in context

  • Espera un momento, por favor. Estoy verificando la información que me estás solicitando.
    Hold on for a moment, please. I'm checking the information you requested.
  • Un segundito, por favor. Voy a transferirte con el departamento de atención al cliente.
    Just a second, please. I'm going to transfer you to the customer service department.
  • Espere, por favor, un momento.
    Hold please, for a moment.
  • Espere, por favor, que consulto su ficha.
    Hold please, let me check your file.
  • Espere, por favor, le paso con el gerente.
    Hold please, I'll transfer you to the manager.

Example conversation

A customer is calling a small office to ask a question.

  1. Sofía

    Hola, oficina de servicios, ¿en qué puedo ayudarle?
    Hello, services office, how can I help you?
  2. Daniel

    Hola, ¿se encuentra el encargado?
    Hello, is the person in charge there?
  3. Sofía

    Espere, por favor, voy a ver si está.
    Hold please, I am going to see if he is here.
  4. Daniel

    Muchas gracias, Sofía.
    Thank you very much, Sofia.

Sources

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Heather Imogen
Heather ImogenHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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