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Questions & Answers about Einen Moment, bitte!
Why does this use Einen instead of just Ein?
Moment is a masculine noun (der Moment). In German, phrases expressing a duration of time are put in the accusative (direct object) case. Even though there is no verb here, you can think of it as a shortened version of "Wait one moment!" Because it's masculine and accusative, ein changes to einen.
Is Moment used exactly the same way here as in English?
Yes! Der Moment is a direct cognate, meaning it looks, sounds, and means almost exactly the same as its English equivalent. Just remember that because it is a noun, it must always be capitalized in German.
How does this phrase fit into our lesson on telling time?
While words like Viertel (quarter) or halb (half) help you give exact clock times, einen Moment is the standard, polite way to ask for a brief, unspecified pause. It is the perfect phrase to use if someone asks you for the time and you need a few seconds to check your watch!