Translation guide
The English word "minutes" can refer to a written record of a meeting, a unit of time, or a short period of time. This guide covers how to express each meaning naturally in Japanese.
To refer to the official written record of what was discussed and decided in a meeting.
The standard term for official meeting minutes. Used in business and formal contexts.
議事録を送ります。
I will send the minutes.
議事録を確認してください。
Please check the minutes.
A less formal term, often used for informal meeting notes rather than official minutes.
簡単な議事メモを取っておいて。
Take simple minutes, please.
A more formal or literary term for meeting minutes, sometimes used in official documents.
会議録は公開されています。
The minutes are publicly available.
To refer to a period of 60 seconds, as in telling time or measuring duration.
The standard counter for minutes. Used with numbers to express clock time or duration.
5分待ってください。
Please wait five minutes.
今、3時10分です。
It's 3:10 now.
To refer to a brief, indefinite amount of time, often used in phrases like "a few minutes" or "in a minute."
A very common casual way to say "a short while" or "a minute." Often used when asking someone to wait briefly.
ちょっと待って。
Wait a minute.
ちょっとだけ時間ある？
Do you have a few minutes?
A polite, formal way to say "a short while" or "a moment." Commonly used in business settings.
Literally "for a short time," used to refer to a brief period.
少しの間、ここにいてください。
Please stay here for a few minutes.
Literally "a few minutes," used when you want to be more specific about the time being a small number of minutes.
数分で戻ります。
I'll be back in a few minutes.
The counter 分 (ふん/ぷん) is only for time. To refer to the written record of a meeting, use 議事録 (ぎじろく). Saying 会議の分 (かいぎのぶん) is incorrect.
ちょっと is casual and used in everyday speech. 少々 is formal and polite, often used in business or customer service. Both can mean 'a minute' or 'a short while.'
前回の議事録が承認されました。
The minutes of the last meeting were approved.
5分で準備できます。
I'll be ready in five minutes.
ちょっと時間ありますか？
Can you spare a few minutes?
少々お待ちください。
Please wait a moment.