How do you say "wait" in Japanese?

待つ

matsu

Verb Kanji

In Japanese, "wait" is 待つ (matsu).

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Pronunciation

Ma-tsu, two quick syllables, said almost like the English word 'mat' with a soft 'tsu' tacked on the end.

Writing and usage

待つ is written using kanji. It's a verb, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.

Example sentence

ここで少しお待ちください。

kokode sukoshi o machi kudasai.

Please wait here for a moment.

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How to remember 待つ

Matsu sounds like 'mat, sue' — sit on the mat and wait, or sue for being kept waiting too long.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

Questions about 待つ

How do you pronounce 待つ?

Ma-tsu, two quick syllables, said almost like the English word 'mat' with a soft 'tsu' tacked on the end.

Is 待つ formal or casual?

待つ is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 待つ written in Japanese?

待つ is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as matsu.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Wait" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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