“sukoshi” vs. “shōshō”：Do You Know Which is Used As Casual?

Whether you are at a restaurant asking for a little less salt, or on the phone asking a client to wait just a moment, Japanese has exactly the right word for “a little” — if you know which one to reach for. 少すこし (sukoshi) and 少々しょうしょう (shōshō) look and sound similar, but their registers are worlds apart.

Yuka

少すこし待まってて！
(Wait a little bit!) [casual]

Rei

少々しょうしょうお待まちください。
(Please wait a moment.) [formal/service industry]

At a Glance: 少すこし vs. 少々しょうしょう

少すこし — The Everyday “A Little”

少すこし is the most versatile of the three. It sits comfortably in casual conversation and polite speech, making it a safe default for most situations. You can strengthen it by adding だけ after it: 少すこしだけ means “just a little bit.”

Yuka

少すこし疲つかれてる。
(I’m a little tired.)

Rei

少すこしだけ教おしえてもらえますか？
(Could you teach me just a little bit?)

少すこし also works well with adjectives and verbs:
• 少すこし大おおきい — a little big
• 少すこし歩あるく — walk a little
• 少すこし早はやめに — a little earlier

ちょっと — The Super-Casual “A Sec”

ちょっと is even more casual than 少すこし. It pops up constantly in informal speech, but it has a second hidden use: as a polite refusal. “ちょっと…” said with a trailing tone means “That’s a bit… (not possible)” without saying no directly.

Yuka

ちょっと待まってて！
(Wait a sec! / Just a moment!)

Rei

今日はちょっと…
(Today is a bit… [implied: not great, I can’t make it])

少々しょうしょう — Formal and Polished

少々しょうしょう is the go-to word in formal business and service contexts. You hear it from hotel staff, on phone holds, and in written correspondence. It would sound stiff and out of place if used between friends.

Yuka

少々しょうしょうお時間じかんをいただけますか？
(May I have just a little of your time?) [business]

Rei

少々しょうしょう難むずかしい状況じょうきょうです。
(It is a somewhat difficult situation.) [formal]

Quick Quiz

Choose the best word: 少すこし, ちょっと, or 少々しょうしょう.

1. On the phone at work: “______お待まちください。” (Please wait a moment.)
2. Texting a friend: “______遅おそれるかも。” (I might be a little late.)
3. Politely declining an invitation: “それは______…” (That’s a bit…)

Answers: 1. 少々しょうしょう   2. 少すこし or ちょっと   3. ちょっと

少すこし is your safe everyday choice, ちょっと keeps things casual (and doubles as a soft refusal), and 少々しょうしょう polishes your business and service-industry Japanese instantly. All three are useful — just match the register to your setting.

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