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Just wondering about where or how often Augenblick is used in the context of "Just a moment, please".
I used to hear one person saying "Ein Moment, bitte" and I never liked it, so if Augenblick represents a usable alternative I'll take it!
Thing is though, I've never heard anyone use it yet. Is it used at all here in this context?

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  • 3
    As a common third alternative, you can also go with "Eine Sekunde, bitte". In colloquial "Warte kurz" or "Momentchen" are also used to.
    – Em1
    Jul 9, 2015 at 14:40
  • 2
    Moment, mal.. between more familiar persons
    – Narasimham
    Jul 9, 2015 at 18:55
  • I always associate Augenblick with our lives' melancholic sweetness and briefness. "Oh Augenblick, verweile doch,du bist so schön!"
    – user21995
    Jun 4, 2016 at 16:20
  • <hands you a lyre> Proceed!
    – user21173
    Jun 4, 2016 at 23:05
  • 1
    You don't like it? What does that mean? Do you like Tasse for cup? Jun 5, 2016 at 9:28

4 Answers 4

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In general, there isn't really a difference if you use "Augenblick" or "Moment"; especially not in this context of asking someone to stand by and wait.

I (German native speaker) feel that "Augenblick" seems a little bit more formal, but besides that at the moment (no pun intended) I cannot think of a sentence where it would actually change the semantics of a sentence.

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  • I thought restaurant waiters would say "augenblick(!)" to waiting customers in the sense 'right away'(='you'll just have to wait') or '(I'll be with you) in a tick'. In ordinary conversation,wouldn't it be normal just to say "Moment,bitte!" rather than add an article, when something urgent had just come up ? I don't know German,but I've picked up a few conversational 'bits-and-pieces' here and there. Apr 3, 2017 at 14:33
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Yes, you can use both in the same context. There's no difference in the meaning of "Einen Augenblick, bitte" and "Einen Moment, bitte". When you're talking to people in germany, they will sometimes only say "Moment" or "Augenblick".

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Kein Unterschied. Moment bitte dürfte etwas häufiger sein, weil es eine Silbe kürzer ist.

-1

I recall hearing

Einen Augenblick noch, bitte.

but not

Moment.

when I lived in Bavaria. Maybe this is also a regional bias?

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  • 1
    What was this down-voted? Seems like a perfectly good answer to me.
    – cheznead
    Jul 10, 2015 at 8:25
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    Born and raised in bavaria: I have heard both versions, even though you are comparing different levels of formality. "Einen Augenblick (noch), bitte" is way more polite than "Moment." If you want to make a fair comparison, you should say "Einen Moment, bitte", which (for me) is completely equal in semantics as well as formality. But still, there are regional differences which phrase is being used more often, but no phrase is wrong anywhere.
    – BenSower
    Jul 11, 2015 at 11:10
  • I find it hard to believe you would have never heard Moment. Especially with that drawn out oooo that means somebody is in trouble and had better cease and desist. ;) E.g. Moooment amoi, freindl
    – user21173
    Jun 4, 2016 at 23:07

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