German Phrase
Einen Moment, bitte.
Meaning
Literally ‘One moment, please.’ It is a courteous way to ask someone to wait briefly, whether you need a second to look something up, fetch an item, or finish a short task.
When to use
Use it in any situation where you need a short pause: at a shop checkout, on the phone, in a meeting, or when handing over a document. It signals that you’ll be back quickly and shows respect for the other person’s time.
✦Grammar Breakdown
EinenMoment,bitte
Einen (Accusative)
‘Einen’ is the masculine accusative form of the indefinite article ‘ein’, used because ‘Moment’ is the direct object of an implied request.
Moment (Masculine Noun)
‘Moment’ is a masculine noun; its accusative singular form is identical to the nominative, but the article changes.
Bitte (Politeness Particle)
‘Bitte’ adds politeness and can be placed at the end of a request, similar to ‘please’ in English.
Comma Usage
In written German a comma separates the request from the polite particle, though in casual speech it is often omitted.
🗨In Conversation
Einen Moment, bitte.
One moment, please.
Natürlich, ich warte.
Of course, I’ll wait.
✕Common Mistakes
Ein Moment, bitte.
‘Ein’ is nominative; the phrase requires the accusative ‘Einen’ because ‘Moment’ is the object of the request.
Bitte, einen Moment.
While understandable, the natural order places ‘bitte’ at the end of the request.
Einen Moment bitte
Missing the comma is acceptable in casual speech, but in formal writing the comma separates the request from the politeness particle.
↔Alternatives
Einen Augenblick, bitte.
Just a moment, please.
Bitte warten Sie einen Moment.
Please wait a moment.
Kurz warten, bitte.
Please wait briefly.
Cultural Tip
Germans value punctuality and efficiency, so using ‘Einen Moment, bitte.’ shows you respect the other person’s time. In formal settings you might add ‘Bitte warten Sie einen Moment.’ to keep the register polite. In the south of Germany, you’ll also hear ‘Einen kurzen Moment, bitte.’ which is equally polite but a bit more colloquial.