Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials

"One moment, please" in Portuguese: um momento, por favor

um momento, por favor

Say it: oom mo-MEN-too / por fah-VOHRphrase/mo.ˈmẽ.tu ˈpoʁ/

One moment, please in Portuguese is um momento, por favor. Staff also say só um momento or um instantinho while they check something.

Hotel reception

Um momento, por favor. Vou verificar a reserva.
One moment, please. I'll check the reservation.
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How to pronounce um momento, por favor

Say it

oom mo-MEN-too / por fah-VOHR

/mo.ˈmẽ.tu ˈpoʁ/

oom mo-MEN-too por fah-VOHR

"One moment, please" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
um momento, por favorone moment, please

Default polite hold.

só um momentojust a moment

Slightly softer, still polite.

um instantinhojust a sec

Very Brazilian and friendly.

aguarde um momentoplease wait a moment

More formal phone/IVR tone.

How to use um momento, por favor in real life

  1. 1Hotel reception

    Um momento, por favor. Vou verificar a reserva.

    One moment, please. I'll check the reservation.

    Full phrase before the reason.

  2. 2Phone support

    Um momento, por favor, enquanto abro seu cadastro.

    One moment, please, while I open your account.

    Call-center hold line.

  3. 3Pharmacy counter

    Um momento, por favorpreciso falar com o farmacêutico.

    One moment, please—I need to talk to the pharmacist.

    Counter pause.

Mistakes English speakers make with um momento, por favor

Incorrect: Un momento, por favor (Spanish un).

Correct: Um momento, por favor.

Portuguese uses um, not Spanish un.

Incorrect: Um momento only (dropping por favor with strangers).

Correct: Um momento, por favor.

Keep por favor—it's part of this polite headword.

Good to know

Brazilians stretch waits with warmth: um momentinho softens the pause. On phones you may also hear aguarde um momento, while shops lean on um momento, por favor.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Waiting at a boutique fitting desk

  1. ChatPal

    Um momento, por favor. Vou buscar o outro tamanho.

    One moment, please. I'll get the other size.

  2. You

    Sem problema. Fico aqui.

    No problem. I'll stay here.

  3. ChatPal

    Um momento, por favor, e volto com a peça.

    One moment, please, and I'll be right back with the item.

  4. You

    Obrigada.

    Thanks.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"One moment, please" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "One moment, please" in Portuguese

Can I say só um minuto?

Yes, but this headword is um momento, por favor.

More casual?

Um instantinho.

On the phone?

Aguarde um momento is common and formal.

Must por favor stay?

Yes for this phrase with strangers.

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