Translation guide
How to express a brief duration in Japanese, from a few moments to a short while.
The most common, neutral way to say 'a short time' or 'a little while'.
Literally 'a little interval'. Very common and natural for 'a short time'.
少しの間、待ってください。
Please wait for a short time.
I was outside for a short time.
Means 'for a while', often implying a short but indefinite time. Can also mean 'for a long time' in negative sentences, but here it's used for short durations.
しばらくお待ちください。
Please wait a moment.
しばらく休みましょう。
Let's rest for a while.
Very casual and common. Means 'a little' or 'a short time'. Often used in requests.
ちょっと待って。
Wait a sec.
ちょっとそこにいて。
Stay there for a bit.
Formal equivalent of ちょっと. Used in business or polite settings.
少々お待ちください。
Please wait a moment. (formal)
Expressing a very brief moment, almost instantaneous.
Literally 'one instant'. Used for something that happens in a flash.
一瞬、何が起こったかわからなかった。
For a moment, I didn't know what had happened.
それは一瞬の出来事だった。
It was a momentary event.
Means 'moment' or 'instant'. Slightly longer than 一瞬 but still very brief.
Referring to a short but measurable duration, like a few minutes or a couple of hours.
Literally 'short time'. Used for durations like a few minutes to a few hours.
短時間で終わらせます。
I'll finish it in a short time.
短時間の会議でした。
It was a short meeting.
Emphasizes the small amount of time. 'A scant amount of time'.
わずかな時間しかありません。
We have only a short time.
Expressing 'for a short time' as an adverbial phrase modifying an action.
Use 少しの間 before the verb to indicate doing something for a short while.
少しの間、座っていました。
I sat for a short time.
しばらく can directly modify a verb to mean 'for a while'.
しばらく話しましょう。
Let's talk for a while.
Expressing that something will happen after a short time, i.e., soon.
ちょっと is casual and used in everyday speech. 少々 is its formal counterpart, common in business and customer service. Using ちょっと in a formal setting can sound rude.
ちょっと待って。
Wait a sec. (casual)
少々お待ちください。
Please wait a moment. (formal)
While 短い時間 is grammatically correct, it's less natural than 短時間 or 少しの間 in most contexts. Use 短時間 for measurable durations and 少しの間 for vague short whiles.
その瞬間、彼は消えた。
At that moment, he disappeared.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'in the blink of an eye' or 'before you know it'.
あっという間に時間が過ぎた。
Time flew by in a flash.
間もなく電車が参ります。
The train will arrive shortly.