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'.
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.
Please wait a moment.
Let's rest for a while.
Very casual and common. Means 'a little' or 'a short time'. Often used in requests.
Wait a sec.
Stay there for a bit.
Formal equivalent of ちょっと. Used in business or polite settings.
Please wait a moment. (formal)
Expressing a very brief moment, almost instantaneous.
Literally 'one instant'. Used for something that happens in a flash.
For a moment, I didn't know what had happened.
Means 'moment' or 'instant'. Slightly longer than 一瞬 but still very brief.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'in the blink of an eye' or 'before you know it'.
Referring to a short but measurable duration, like a few minutes or a couple of hours.
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.
I sat for a short time.
しばらく can directly modify a verb to mean 'for a while'.
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.
Wait a sec. (casual)
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.
It was a momentary event.
その瞬間、彼は消えた。
At that moment, he disappeared.
Time flew by in a flash.
It was a short meeting.
間もなく電車が参ります。
The train will arrive shortly.