Meaning
moment, instant
- moment, instant, jiffy
In a sentence
Aspetta un istante, arrivo subito.
Wait a moment, I'm coming right away.
Hai un istante per parlare con me?
Do you have a moment to talk with me?
Non ho avuto un istante libero oggi.
I haven't had a free moment today.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| istante | masculine · singular |
| istanti | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- More literary or emphatic than momento or attimo; common in writing and fixed phrases, less in casual speech.
- Usually masculine singular: un istante, questo istante. Don’t confuse it with the adjective istantaneo.
- In requests, un istante! sounds polite but slightly formal; un attimo! is more common in everyday conversation.