Translation guide
The English word 'minute' can refer to a unit of time (60 seconds), a short moment, or an official record of a meeting. This guide covers how to express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
Expressing a specific number of minutes as a unit of time.
The standard counter for minutes. The reading changes depending on the number: 一分 (いっぷん), 二分 (にふん), 三分 (さんぷん), 四分 (よんぷん), 五分 (ごふん), 六分 (ろっぷん), 七分 (ななふん), 八分 (はっぷん), 九分 (きゅうふん), 十分 (じっぷん or じゅっぷん).
会議はあと5分で始まります。
The meeting will start in 5 minutes.
ここから駅まで10分かかります。
It takes 10 minutes from here to the station.
Referring to a brief, indefinite period, often used in phrases like 'wait a minute' or 'just a minute'.
The most common casual way to say 'wait a minute'. Literally 'wait a little'.
ちょっと待って、今行くから。
Wait a minute, I'm coming now.
Polite/formal way to say 'please wait a moment'. Used in business or service contexts.
少々お待ちください。担当者をお呼びします。
Just a minute, please. I'll call the person in charge.
Means 'an instant' or 'a moment'. Used to describe something that happens very quickly.
Means 'a little' (amount or time). Can be used in phrases like 'in a minute' meaning 'soon'.
Referring to the written record of what was discussed and decided in a meeting.
The standard term for 'meeting minutes' in business and formal contexts.
議事録を全員に送ってください。
Please send the minutes to everyone.
彼女が会議の議事録を取った。
She took the minutes of the meeting.
The counter 分 (ふん/ぷん) is only for precise minutes. To say 'wait a minute' in the sense of 'a short while', use ちょっと待って or 少々お待ちください, not 一分待って (which sounds like exactly one minute).
一瞬、何が起こったかわからなかった。
For a minute, I didn't know what had happened.
Let's go out in a minute.