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French Phrase

Attends encore quelques minutes, s'il te plaît.

/a.tɑ̃ ɑ̃.kɔʁ kɛl.kə mi.nyt sil tə plɛ/
Meaning"Please wait a few more minutes."
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Meaning

A courteous way to ask someone to wait a little longer. The speaker is asking the listener to stay patient for a few more minutes, using the informal polite particle *s'il te plaît*.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you need a short pause in a conversation, a meeting, or while doing something together, and you are speaking to a friend, a colleague you know well, or anyone you would address with *tu*.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Attendsencorequelquesminutes,s'ilteplaît.

1

Attends (imperative)

Second‑person singular imperative of the verb *attendre* (to wait). Used when speaking informally to one person.

2

encore

Means “still” or “a little longer” here, indicating an additional short period of time.

3

quelques minutes

Indefinite quantity; *quelques* = “a few”, *minutes* = “minutes”. The noun stays in the plural form.

4

s'il te plaît

Polite formula meaning “please”. *te* signals the informal “you”; use *s'il vous plaît* for formal or plural address.

🗨In Conversation

A

Je suis presque prêt, attends encore quelques minutes, s'il te plaît.

I'm almost ready, please wait a few more minutes.

Pas de problème, je t'attends.

No problem, I'll wait for you.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Attendez encore quelques minutes, s'il te plaît.

    Mixes formal imperative *Attendez* with informal *s'il te plaît*. Use *s'il vous plaît* if you keep the formal verb.

  • Attends encore quelques minute, s'il te plaît.

    Forgot the plural *minutes*; *quelques* always requires a plural noun.

  • Attends encore quelques minutes s'il te plaît

    Missing the comma can make the sentence sound rushed; the pause before *s'il te plaît* adds politeness.

↔Alternatives

  • Patiente encore quelques minutes, s'il te plaît.

    Please be patient for a few more minutes.

  • Attends un peu plus longtemps, s'il te plaît.

    Please wait a little longer.

  • Reste un moment, s'il te plaît.

    Please stay a moment.

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Cultural Tip

In French, the level of formality is crucial. *S'il te plaît* is informal; switch to *s'il vous plaît* when speaking to strangers, elders, or in professional settings. Also, placing the comma before *s'il te plaît* mirrors spoken pauses and makes the request sound more polite.