Questions & Answers about Подождите меня здесь, пожалуйста.
Why does the command подождите end in -ите?
The dictionary form is подождать (to wait). To make the polite or plural command, we take the stem of the verb (подожд-) and add -ите because the stem ends in a consonant. If you were talking to a close friend or family member, you would just add -и to make the informal подожди.
Why isn't there a word for 'for' in this sentence?
In English, we say 'wait for someone', but in Russian, you don't need a preposition here. The verb подождать connects directly to the person you are waiting for. You are literally just saying 'Wait me'.
Why is the word for 'me' меня instead of мне?
Because the verb connects directly to 'me' as the target of the action (the direct object), we have to use the accusative case. Меня is the accusative form of the pronoun я (I). You would use мне (the dative case) for things like 'giving to me'.
I never hear the й in пожалуйста. Am I mishearing it?
Not at all! Even though it is spelled with a й, native speakers almost always skip that sound when speaking at a normal speed. It is usually pronounced like пожалуста.
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