French Phrase
Attends un instant.
Meaning
Literally ‘wait a moment’, this phrase is used to ask someone to pause briefly. It’s friendly yet polite, suitable for everyday conversation.
When to use
Use it when you need a short pause—while you’re looking something up, fetching an item, or giving the other person a moment to think. It works in informal and semi‑formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Attendsuninstant
Attendre (imperative)
‘Attends’ is the second‑person singular (tu) imperative of the verb ‘attendre’ (to wait).
un (indefinite article)
‘un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, equivalent to ‘a’ or ‘one’ in English.
instant (noun)
‘instant’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘moment’ or ‘instant’.
🗨In Conversation
Attends un instant, je vérifie le prix.
Wait a moment, I’ll check the price.
D’accord, je t’attends.
Okay, I’ll wait for you.
✕Common Mistakes
Attends un instant, Monsieur.
Use ‘Attendez’ when speaking to someone you don’t know well, to a group, or in a formal setting.
Attends un instants.
Do not add an extra ‘s’ – the noun is singular: ‘un instant’, not ‘un instants’.
↔Alternatives
Patiente un instant.
Hold on a moment.
Un instant, s'il vous plaît.
One moment, please.
Attendez un instant.
Wait a moment (formal/plural).
Cultural Tip
In French, using ‘un instant’ is a very common, courteous way to ask for a brief pause. With friends you can use the informal ‘Attends’, but in professional or polite contexts you’ll hear ‘Attendez’ or the more formal ‘Un instant, s’il vous plaît’. The liaison between ‘Attends’ and ‘un’ (‑z‑) is optional in casual speech but standard in careful pronunciation.