Portuguese Phrase
Você pode esperar um momento?
Meaning
A courteous way to ask someone to hold on briefly. It combines a polite modal verb (pode) with an infinitive (esperar) and a quantifier (um momento) to soften the request.
When to use
Use this sentence in phone calls, at a store, or any situation where you need the other person to pause for a short time—especially in customer‑service or casual conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêpodeesperarummomento?
Você
Second‑person singular pronoun; in Brazil it’s the default informal 'you', while still polite in most contexts.
pode
Present indicative of poder (to be able to). Used here as a polite request, equivalent to 'can you'.
esperar
Infinitive verb meaning 'to wait'. After poder, the infinitive follows directly.
um
Indefinite article (masculine singular) that quantifies the noun that follows.
momento
Masculine noun meaning 'moment' or 'instant'.
🗨In Conversation
Você pode esperar um momento?
Can you wait a moment?
Claro, eu aguardo.
Sure, I’ll wait.
✕Common Mistakes
Você podes esperar um momento?
‘podes’ is the European Portuguese 2nd‑person singular form; in Brazil you should use ‘pode’ with ‘você’.
Espere um momento?
Using the imperative ‘espere’ makes the request sound commanding rather than polite.
Você pode esperar momento?
Dropping the article changes the nuance; ‘esperar momento’ is ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Pode aguardar um instante?
Can you wait a second?
Você se importaria de esperar um pouco?
Would you mind waiting a little?
Espere um momento, por favor.
Wait a moment, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, using 'você' with a modal verb like 'pode' is perfectly polite. Avoid the imperative 'espere' unless you have a close relationship or a formal authority role, as it can sound too direct. Also, adding 'por favor' after the question is common in very formal settings.