ちょっと vs 少し
JLPT N5 vocabulary · what is the difference?
For quantity they mean the same thing — ちょっと待って and 少し待って are both "wait a bit" — with ちょっと the casual spoken form and 少し the neutral or written one. The difference that matters is that ちょっと also softens and refuses: 今日はちょっと… is a complete, polite no, and 少し has no such use.
When to use each
ちょっと
ちょっと
Everyday spoken Japanese, and the only choice when softening a request, getting someone's attention, or declining. Trailing off with ちょっと… is understood as a polite refusal.
ちょっとすみません、駅はどこですか。
ちょっとすみません、えきはどこですか。
Excuse me, where is the station?
今日はちょっと…。また今度お願いします。
きょうはちょっと…。またこんどおねがいします。
Today is a bit... Could we do it another time?
少し
すこし
Neutral register: writing, polite or formal speech, and anywhere you are simply stating a small amount. It is the safer word in business email and on tests.
少し疲れましたので、休みましょう。
すこしつかれましたので、やすみましょう。
I'm a little tired, so let's take a break.
日本語が少し分かります。
にほんごがすこしわかります。
I understand a little Japanese.
Sentences where only one works
今晩、飲みに行きませんか。 今日はちょっと…。
こんばん、のみにいきませんか。 きょうはちょっと…。
Want to go for a drink tonight? Tonight is a bit...
This is ちょっと's most important use and it has no 少し equivalent. 今日は少し… is not a refusal and merely sounds unfinished.
少しお待ちください。
すこしおまちください。
Please wait a moment.
In an announcement or to a customer, 少し fits the register. ちょっとお待ちください is possible but noticeably more casual.
ちょっと、聞いてる？
ちょっと、きいてる？
Hey, are you even listening?
Used on its own, ちょっと calls someone out or gets their attention. 少し cannot be used this way at all.
この問題は少し難しいです。
このもんだいはすこしむずかしいです。
This question is a little difficult.
A plain statement of degree, where both work: 少し is the neutral pick for writing and ちょっと for conversation.
Common mistakes
手伝ってくれませんか。 はい、少しです。
手伝ってくれませんか。 すみません、今日はちょっと…。
Learners look for a word meaning no and miss that ちょっと… is the refusal itself. 少し in that slot does not communicate a decline, and a flat いいえ sounds abrupt.
レポートをちょっと直しました。 (in an email to your boss)
レポートを少し直しました。
ちょっと belongs to casual speech. In a business email or a written report, 少し or 少々 is the appropriate register; ちょっと reads as too chatty.
Frequently asked questions
Are they interchangeable for amounts?
Essentially yes. ちょっと高い and 少し高い both mean "a bit expensive". Choose by register: ちょっと when speaking casually, 少し in writing or polite speech.
Why does ちょっと mean no?
Because trailing off is how Japanese declines politely. The full sentence is something like ちょっと都合が悪いです, and speakers cut it short at ちょっと…. Everyone understands it as a refusal, so you do not need to finish it.
What about 少々?
少々 is the formal version of 少し, used in service and business language, as in 少々お待ちください. Recognise it when you hear it, and use 少し in your own sentences at first.