Portuguese Phrase
Espera um momento.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Wait a moment.’ It’s a polite request for someone to pause briefly. In everyday speech it can be softened with ‘por favor’ or made more formal with ‘Espere um momento.’
When to use
Use this phrase when you need a short pause in a conversation, such as while looking something up, fetching an item, or giving the other person a moment to think. It works in both casual and semi‑formal contexts, especially in Brazil and Portugal.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Esperaummomento
Imperative of 'esperar'
‘Espera’ is the informal (tu) imperative form of the verb ‘esperar’ (to wait). For a more formal or neutral tone use ‘Espere’ (você).
Indefinite article 'um'
‘um’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, equivalent to ‘a’/‘an’ in English.
Noun 'momento'
‘momento’ means ‘moment’ and is masculine, so it pairs with ‘um’.
🗨In Conversation
Espera um momento, por favor.
Wait a moment, please.
Claro, já volto.
Sure, I’ll be right back.
✕Common Mistakes
Espere um momento.
Using the informal ‘tu’ form with strangers can sound rude; switch to ‘Espere’ for a neutral or formal tone.
Espera momento.
Do not drop the article; ‘momento’ needs ‘um’ to convey ‘a moment.’
Espera um momento.
Leaving out ‘por favor’ is not wrong, but adding it makes the request more courteous.
↔Alternatives
Espere um instante.
Wait a second.
Aguarde um momento.
Hold on a moment.
Segure aí.
Hold on (informal).
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, speakers often add ‘por favor’ to sound extra polite, while in Portugal the formal ‘Espere’ is preferred in professional settings. The informal ‘Espera aí’ is common among friends, but avoid it with strangers or elders.