ждать vs подождать

zhdat vs podozhdat — wait as an ongoing action vs wait for a while/once

What it really means

Ждать is imperfective and means to wait, focusing on the activity, duration, or a general expectation: "Я жду автобус" (I am waiting for the bus). Подожда́ть is perfective and frames a bounded wait, often meaning wait for a little while or wait until something happens: "Подожди минуту" (Wait a minute).

The prefix под- gives the perfective verb a limited, short-duration feel in common conversation. It does not mean that ждать is wrong for a single situation; choose ждать when the waiting itself matters and подождать when you ask someone to wait briefly or present the wait as one completed interval.

Examples in natural speech

Я жду автобус уже десять минут.
I have been waiting for the bus for ten minutes.
Она ждёт ответа.
She is waiting for an answer.
Подожди меня здесь.
Wait for me here.
Подождите пять минут, пожалуйста.
Please wait five minutes.
Мы подождали ещё немного и ушли.
We waited a little longer and left.
Я буду ждать тебя у входа.
I will wait for you at the entrance.

Common mistakes

Do not assume the perfective imperative подожди is more polite than жди; it usually means wait briefly or wait for this one event. Also avoid saying ждать кого-то with a preposition: Russian uses the accusative directly, ждать друга (wait for a friend).

Memory tip

Ждать focuses on waiting; подождать puts a boundary around one short wait.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ждать and подождать in Russian?

Ждать is imperfective and focuses on waiting as an ongoing or general activity. Подождать is perfective and means to wait for a bounded period, often a short while.

How do you say wait a minute in Russian?

Say "Подожди минуту" to one person informally or "Подождите минуту" politely/plurally. The perfective verb presents one short wait.

What case follows ждать in Russian?

Ждать normally takes the accusative without a preposition: ждать автобус, ждать друга, ждать ответа.

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