Translation guide
Expressing a short period of time in Japanese using nouns, adverbs, and set phrases.
Referring to a brief, indefinite duration.
Literally 'a little while', a common and neutral way to say 'for a short period'.
少しの間、待ってください。
Please wait for a short while.
Means 'for a while' or 'for some time'. Can be short or moderately long depending on context, but often used for short periods.
しばらくお待ちください。
Please wait a moment.
Casual variant of 少しの間, often used in spoken Japanese.
ちょっとの間、ここにいて。
Stay here for a little bit.
Literary or formal term for 'a short time' or 'a moment'.
一時の感情に流されるな。
Don't be swayed by momentary emotions.
Emphasizing a very brief, almost instantaneous duration.
Means 'an instant' or 'a moment'. Very common for extremely short periods.
一瞬、何が起こったかわからなかった。
For a moment, I didn't know what had happened.
Similar to 一瞬, but can also be used in compounds like 瞬間的に (momentarily).
Buddhist term for an extremely short instant; used in literary or philosophical contexts.
Describing a short but measurable duration, like a few minutes or a couple of hours.
Literally 'short time', used for periods of minutes to a few hours. Common in both speech and writing.
短時間で終わらせましょう。
Let's finish it in a short time.
Emphasizes the small amount of time available or used.
わずかな時間で準備しなければならない。
I have to prepare in a very short time.
Modifying a verb to indicate that an action lasts only a short time.
Means 'just a little', often used adverbially for time.
少しだけ休みましょう。
Let's rest for just a short while.
Very common casual adverb meaning 'a little' or 'for a moment'.
ちょっと待って。
Wait a sec.
Means 'temporarily', often used in formal or technical contexts.
システムが一時的に停止します。
The system will be temporarily halted.
Indicating that something will happen after only a short period has passed.
Formal adverb meaning 'shortly' or 'soon'. Common in announcements.
まもなく電車が参ります。
The train will arrive shortly.
Means 'immediately' or 'right away', implying a very short time before something happens.
すぐに戻ります。
I'll be back in a moment.
Same as まもなく, often written with kanji in formal contexts.
しばらく can imply a longer wait than 少しの間, but both are used for short periods. しばらく is more common in polite requests like しばらくお待ちください, while 少しの間 is more neutral.
しばらくお待ちください。
Please wait a while (polite).
少しの間、ここに座っていて。
Sit here for a little while (casual).
Direct translations like 短い期間 (みじかいきかん) are grammatical but sound unnatural in many contexts. Use the expressions above depending on the nuance.
短い期間で日本語を習得するのは難しい。
It's difficult to master Japanese in a short period. (acceptable but stiff)
その瞬間、電気が消えた。
At that moment, the lights went out.
Life is a series of moments.
間もなく開演です。
The performance will begin shortly.