What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ちょっと待ってください is composed of chotto (a little/a moment), matte (the te-form of the verb "to wait") and kudasai (please).
Which one should you use?
While ちょっと待ってください is polite, it is a direct request. In very formal business settings, the humble form 少々お待ちください is used instead. You can also use the very polite and formal version 少々お待ちいただけますか.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase ちょっと待って is an informal way to say "wait a sec" that is suitable for friends or family, often created by dropping the kudasai at the end. Adding kureru? to the end of ちょっと待って makes it ちょっと待ってくれる？, which is slightly more polite and used with people you have a friendly relationship with. For formal situations, お待ちください is a polite way to ask someone to wait. If you are staff in a shop or restaurant speaking toward customers, you should use the much more formal 少々お待ちください.
Did you know?
- The phrase ちょっと is so versatile that it can be used to politely decline an invitation by saying ちょっと… and trailing off, implying 'it is a bit [difficult]'.
- Depending on the intonation, ちょっと待って can be used to express disbelief or shock, similar to saying 'Wait, what?' in English.
- The word ちょっと is an onomatopoeic evolution of ちっと, which originally suggested a tiny amount or a small pinch of something.
Examples in context
- ちょっと待ってください。Please wait a moment.Tatoeba #10901614 by small_snow, translation #430067 by witbrock
- お客さま、お待ちください。Customer, please wait a moment.
- 申し訳ありませんが、少々お待ちいただけますか？I apologize, but could you please wait for a moment?
- ちょっと待って、考えてみるから。Wait a moment, let me think.
- ちょっと待ってくれる？Can you wait a moment?
- ちょっと待ってください、今行きます。Chotto matte kudasai, ima ikimasu.Wait a moment, I'm coming now.
- すみません、ちょっと待ってください。Sumimasen, chotto matte kudasai.Excuse me, please wait a moment.
Example conversation
Yui is looking for her keys while Ren waits at the door.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さん、ちょっと待ってください！Ren-san, chotto matte kudasai!Ren, wait a moment!
- 蓮 Renどうしたの、結衣？Doushita no, Yui?What's wrong, Yui?
- 結衣 Yui鍵が見つからないんです。Kagi ga mitsukaranai n desu.I can't find my keys.
- 蓮 Renわかった、ここで待っているよ。Wakatta, koko de matte iru yo.Okay, I'll wait here.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
