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Questions & Answers about Подождите, пожалуйста, минуту.
Why is the verb подождите used in this sentence?
Подождите is the imperative form of the verb подождать ("to wait"). It’s used here as a polite command. In Russian, addressing someone formally (or addressing multiple people) calls for the formal—often plural—imperative, as opposed to the informal singular подожди.
What is the difference between подождите and подожди?
The distinction lies in tone and formality. Подождите is used when speaking politely to one person (using the formal "вы") or to a group, while подожди is the informal singular command, suitable for friends or family.
Why is the noun минута presented as минуту in this sentence?
In the sentence, минута serves as the object of the imperative verb, so it must be in the accusative case. For many feminine nouns ending in -а, including минута, the accusative singular form changes to -у—thus, минуту is correct.
Where does пожалуйста fit in the sentence, and why is it set off by commas?
Пожалуйста means please, acting as a polite interjection. In Russian, when such words are inserted into a sentence (rather than starting or ending it), they’re typically set off by commas to indicate that they’re parenthetical. This punctuation clarifies the sentence structure and maintains a polite tone.
Can the word order in the sentence be rearranged, for example, by moving пожалуйста to a different position?
Yes, Russian word order is relatively flexible. You might encounter Пожалуйста, подождите минуту or Подождите минуту, пожалуйста. Both orders are grammatically sound and maintain the same meaning, though they might shift the emphasis slightly.