Portuguese Phrase
Por favor, espera um momento.
Meaning
A courteous way to ask someone to wait briefly. It conveys politeness while indicating that the pause will be short.
When to use
Use it in everyday conversation when you need a few seconds or a minute—on the phone, in a store, or while helping someone. It works well in informal settings with friends, family, or colleagues.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Porfavor,esperaummomento.
Por favor
A polite expression meaning “please”. It can be placed before or after the request.
Imperative (informal)
‘espera’ is the second‑person singular informal imperative of the verb esperar ‘to wait’.
Indefinite article
‘um’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, matching the noun ‘momento’.
Noun ‘momento’
Means ‘moment’; it is masculine, so it takes the article ‘um’.
🗨In Conversation
Por favor, espera um momento.
Please wait a moment.
Claro, sem problema.
Sure, no problem.
✕Common Mistakes
Por favor, espere um momento.
‘Espere’ is the formal imperative; pairing it with the informal ‘por favor’ can sound overly stiff in casual conversation.
Por favor, espera um minuto.
‘Um minuto’ changes the nuance; ‘momento’ is more neutral and less precise, which is preferred for a brief pause.
Por favor espera um momento.
Missing the comma makes the phrase sound rushed; the pause after ‘por favor’ signals politeness.
↔Alternatives
Aguarde um instante.
Hold on for a second.
Espere um pouquinho.
Wait a little bit.
Pode esperar um momento?
Could you wait a moment?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘por favor’ is almost always used before a request, even in informal speech. The verb form ‘espera’ is informal; with strangers or in a more formal context you would say ‘espere’ (formal imperative). Also, Brazilians value punctuality, so a short wait is usually respected.