Japanese - Service Encounters

Lesson 148 of 168

A friendly shop counter in Japan with a staff member politely speaking Japanese: lesson about service phrases and asking customers to wait.

Goal: A quick polite wait phrase for shops and phones

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome — quick and useful! In this short lesson you'll learn one key polite phrase you will hear a lot in Japan. Practice listening, then repeat aloud to build confidence.

Level A1: This lesson focuses on one common service phrase: 少々お待ちください。 (Shōshō omachi kudasai.) — "Please wait a moment." You'll practice when staff use it in shops and on the phone, listen to a short dialogue, and repeat the phrase aloud. Lesson 148 keeps it simple and practical — perfect for travel or everyday service encounters (CEFR-aligned).

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and understand 少々お待ちください。 (Shōshō omachi kudasai.) — "Please wait a moment."
  • Hear the phrase used in a short service conversation and answer a simple gist question.
  • Practice saying the phrase aloud and choose the right response in common service situations.
A phone at a restaurant reception in Japan, showing a common service scene for the phrase 少々お待ちください。, used by staff to ask callers to wait.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

少々お待ちください。

Shōshō omachi kudasai.

Please wait a moment.

Meaning: Please wait a moment.

When to use: Use this polite phrase when staff (in shops, restaurants, hotels) or a phone operator asks a customer to wait briefly. It's common during checks or when they put you on hold.

Tip: Saying 少々待ってください is understandable, but 少々お待ちください is more natural and polite in service situations.

店員：少々お待ちください。確認します。

Ten'in: Shōshō omachi kudasai. Kakunin shimasu.

Staff: Please wait a moment. I'll check.
電話受付：お電話ありがとうございます。少々お待ちください。

Denwa uketsuke: O-denwa arigatō gozaimasu. Shōshō omachi kudasai.

Phone operator: Thank you for calling. Please wait a moment.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Phone reservation check

Two people talking on the phone: a customer and a polite Japanese staff member using 少々お待ちください。 during a reservation check.

What does the staff ask Anna to do?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

もしもし、今夜の予約を確認できますか？

Moshimoshi, kon'ya no yoyaku o kakunin dekimasu ka?

Hello, can you confirm tonight's reservation?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

ただいま確認します。少々お待ちください。

Tadaima kakunin shimasu. Shōshō omachi kudasai.

I'll check now. Please wait a moment.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

はい、お願いします。

Hai, onegai shimasu.

Yes, please.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

（数秒後）確認できました。席を用意します。少々お待ちください。

(Sūbyō-go) Kakunin dekimashita. Seki o yōi shimasu. Shōshō omachi kudasai.

(After a few seconds) Confirmed. I'll prepare the table. Please wait a moment.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Japanese phrase means "Please wait a moment"?

When might a staff member say 少々お待ちください。?

What is a polite customer reply after hearing 少々お待ちください。on the phone?

Which phrase is NOT a polite staff expression you would hear in a service encounter?

Staff: Sorry, I'll check, so please wait a moment.

店員：すみません、確認しますので、___。

Phone: We're very busy right now. Please wait a moment.

電話受付：只今大変混雑しております。___

Manager: I'm checking the order. Please wait a moment — it will take a little time.

店長：注文の確認中です。___ 少々お時間をいただきます。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

少々お待ちください。

Shōshō omachi kudasai.

Please wait a moment.