‘Wait’ is one of the most useful verbs to know when starting to learn a language!
It’s useful for a variety of situations: whether you want to make plans with friends and need to tell them where you will be waiting, instructing them where to wait for you, or even expressing that you can’t wait to meet up.
Knowing this one verb and its different uses will help broaden your understanding of the Japanese language and make everyday communication that much smoother!
Matsu
待つ
To wait
The plain form of the verb ‘to wait’ in Japanese is matsu (待つ / まつ).
It is a godan (五段 = 5 steps) verb as it ends with a character from the -u line of the hiragana chart. This means that when conjugated into different tenses, the tsu shifts through the five hiragana vowel sounds.
| 待つ (まつ) | Romaji | |
| a – あ (negative) | 待たない | matanai |
| i – い (masu form) | 待ちます | machimasu |
| u – う(plain form) | 待つ | matsu |
| e – え (potential) | 待てる | materu |
| o – お (voltional) | 待とう | matou |
The plain form, matsu, is perfect for use in situations where you are close or comfortable with whom you are speaking, like with family and friends.
The polite, masu-form of the verb ‘to wait’ is machimasu (待ちます / まちます). You should use this form of the verb when you want to show politeness or express a sort of social distance, such as speaking with an elder, a higher up or a stranger.
If you’re ever unsure which form the situation calls for, masu-form is the safer bet!
‘Wait’ as a command
There are a couple of ways to give ‘wait’ as a command… you guessed it – depending on the desired formality!
Matte
待って
Wait
The most stripped back, straightforward way to say ‘wait’ is by putting matsu in its te-form, matte (待って / まって).
As in English, simply ordering someone to ‘wait’ can come off as a bit blunt and bossy, so let’s learn how we can soften this command.
Kudasai (ください) can be translated as ‘please’ in Japanese. By adding this to the end of matte, we have a much more polite sounding request.
Chotto matte
ちょっと待って
Wait a second / hang on!
Chotto (ちょっと) translates to ‘a bit’ or ‘a little’ in Japanese. You can affix this to the afforementioned matte to ask someone to ‘wait a little’.
It’s a casual command, akin to how we would commonly say ‘wait a sec’ or ‘hold on a moment’ in English.
If we were to put everything together and say: chotto matte kudasai! It has now become a much more polite and soft way to ask someone to wait for a while!
Shou shou o machi kudasai
少々お待ちください
Please wait a moment
Shou shou o machi kudasai (少々お待ちください / しょうしょうおまちください) is a very polite way to ask someone to wait. Shou shou is a polite way to say ‘a little’ and o machi is constructed by affixing the honorific o (お) to the verb stem.
You will hear it used by staff who are serving you in some way. Perhaps while they go check if they have a style of shoe in your requested size or to prepare a table to seat you at for dinner service.
Machi nasai
待ちなさい
Wait (command)
Machi nasai (待ちなさい / まちなさい) is yet another polite way of instructing someone to wait, though it’s important to note that it comes with a stronger sense of authority!
It is therefore reserved for use in situations where you are ordering someone younger or of lower status than yourself, for example with students, children or even your dog!
Omatase shimashita
お待たせしました
Thank you for waiting
Omatase shimashita (お待たせしました / おまたせしました) is another common phrase you will hear from staff. It literally translates as ‘I have made you wait’ and is meant to mean ‘thank you for waiting’ or ‘sorry to keep you waiting’.
It is often used by staff as an apologetic, polite expression (even when they haven’t kept you waiting all that long).
It can also be shortened to the more casual form, omatase. Perfect for use amongst friends and family, in situations where you may have shown up a little delayed and kept them waiting, or to acknowledge how they patiently waited for you while you went to the conbini to buy something!
How to say ‘I can’t wait’ in Japanese
Matenai
待てない
I can’t wait
Matenai (待てない / まてない) is the negative potential form of the plain form verb matsu, so it literally translates as ‘I am unable to wait’.
It can be used in its literal form for when you genuinely, physically cannot wait any longer, but it can also express anticipation or anxiety in waiting for something.
In English, ‘I can’t wait’ is more often than not, an expression of excitement rather than a literal statement. Our next phrase is better in getting across this excited anticipation.
Machi dooshii
待ち遠しい
Long awaited
Machi dooshii (待ち遠しい / まちどおしい) is a combination of the words ‘wait’ and ‘far’, or ‘distant’, and is used to mean ‘long awaited’.
It’s an adjective used to describe something that feels like it is taking forever to arrive, and that you’re eagerly looking forward to it!
Example:
Watashi no tanjoubi paatii ga machi dooshi!
私の誕生日パーティーが待ち遠しい！
わたしのたんじょうびぱーてぃーがまちどおしい！
I can’t wait for my birthday party!
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!