What Does Matte Mean in Japanese?

Woman is late for a train and trying to catch it

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By
Namiko Abe
Namiko Abe
Japanese Language Expert
  • B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University
Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years.
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Updated on October 07, 2019

Wait is a word we often yell to catch someone who might be leaving a room or building, or if we are running to catch a bus or train.

The way you say "wait" in Japanese is Matte.

The more formal form of the word is "Chotto matte kudasai."

Chotto means "a small amount/degree," and kudasai means "please."

This phrase can be used in many different ways where it's appropriate to say "wait a moment." For example, a shop keeper speaking to a customer in a more relaxed tone.
A much more formal way to say "wait a moment" is Shou-shou o-machi kudasai.

Pronunciation of Matte:

Listen to the audio file for "Matte."

Japanese Characters for Matte

待って。（まって。）

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Source

"Japanese (language): What does 'chotto matte' mean and how is it used?" Quora, September 2015.

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Abe, Namiko. "What Does Matte Mean in Japanese?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/matte-simple-japanese-phrases-2028395. Abe, Namiko. (2020, August 28). What Does Matte Mean in Japanese? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/matte-simple-japanese-phrases-2028395 Abe, Namiko. "What Does Matte Mean in Japanese?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/matte-simple-japanese-phrases-2028395 (accessed July 6, 2022).