What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "please wait a little while". The part 少々 (shōshō) means "a little" and お待ちください (omachi kudasai) is a polite form of "please wait".
Which one should you use?
For a more colloquial way to ask "Can you bear with me for a moment?", you can use ちょっと我慢してくれる？
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
少々お待ちください is a polite, standard way to ask someone to wait, suitable for customer service or professional settings. In other contexts, お待ちください can be used to mean "please wait" or "please be patient" in a formal context. If you need to express "please forgive me" or "please excuse me" formally, use ご容赦ください. To apologize for the trouble you are causing, use お手数をおかけします, which means "I apologize for the trouble" or "I apologize for bothering you".
How do you pronounce it?
shōshō omachi kudasai
Did you know?
- The colloquial version 我慢して (gaman shite) uses the word 我慢, which refers to enduring something unpleasant. This implies that waiting is a test of patience rather than just a pause in time.
- In high-end Japanese hospitality, 少々お待ちください is often used as a social lubricant to manage expectations. The 'little while' it promises is a polite euphemism and may not reflect the actual time required.
- In professional Japanese emails, people rarely ask the reader to 'bear with them'. Instead, they use phrases that apologize for the inconvenience, shifting the focus from the speaker's needs to the reader's effort.
Examples in context
- お手数をおかけします。 もう少しだけお待ちいただけますか。I apologize for the trouble. Could you wait just a little longer?
- 少々お待ちください。shōshō omachi kudasai.Please wait a moment.
- 確認しますので、少々お待ちください。kakunin shimasu node, shōshō omachi kudasai.I will check, so please bear with me for a moment.
- 準備が整うまで、少々お待ちください。junbi ga totonou made, shōshō omachi kudasai.Please wait a moment until the preparations are ready.
Example conversation
Daito is helping Yui find a document at the office.
- 大翔 Hiroto資料を探しますね。少々お待ちください。Shiryō o sagashimasu ne. Shōshō omachi kudasai.I'll look for the document. Please bear with me.
- 結衣 Yuiはい、お願いします。Hai, onegaishimasu.Yes, please.
- 大翔 Hirotoありました！こちらです。Arimashita! Kochira desu.I found it! Here it is.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとうございます、大翔さん。Arigatō gozaimasu, Daito-san.Thank you, Daito.
