9 Polite Ways to Ask Someone to Be Patient - English Recap (2024)

Patience is a virtue. You’ve probably heard that before. But sometimes, you need to politely ask someone to be patient while they wait for you to complete a task for them.

So, how do you go about that?

This article will explain how to ask someone to be patient in an email.

Is It Polite to Ask Someone to Be Patient?

It is polite to ask someone to be patient, but only if you do so in an appropriate tone. It is not rude if you say things like “please” and “could you” in your phrase or question.

It’s also quite professional to ask someone to wait while you figure something out. We highly recommend doing so when you don’t want to be rushed when finding an answer for someone.

Keep reading to learn how to tell someone to be patient in an email. We’ve also provided examples to help you understand more about each alternative.

How to Ask Someone to Be Patient

• Please remain patient
• Please be patient while I
• Thank you for your patience
• I would appreciate your patience
• Your patience is appreciated
• Please bear with me
• If you could leave it with me while I
• Could you please leave it with me?
• I’ll get back to you very shortly

1. Please Remain Patient

A good polite option to ask someone to be patient is “please remain patient.” Really, you can’t be much more polite than that.

It’s quick and efficient, showing that you’d appreciate it if someone could give you the time to work something out.

You may use this when emailing customers. It shows that they’ve asked a reasonable question, but you’ll need to take some time before you can give them an appropriate answer. Patience is necessary here to make sure you don’t feed them false information.

Here’s an email example to show you more about using it:

2. Please Be Patient While I

Another great alternative is “please be patient while I.” It shows that you’d like someone to wait for you while you figure out the best thing to say or do.

For example, let’s assume an employee asked you a question. You may need to hear from your superiors before giving them a proper answer. So, they should be patient while you wait, as it will ensure you answer them correctly.

This sample email will help you understand it better:

3. Thank You for Your Patience

One of the most common ways to ask for patience is “thank you for your patience.” Of course, it isn’t a direct question, but it shows that you appreciate someone for waiting for an answer.

There are two ways you can use this phrase.

You can include it at the start of an email. This sample email will demonstrate this:

Or you can include it as an email closer, which is demonstrated below:

4. I Would Appreciate Your Patience

Going for a slightly more formal option, you may say “I would appreciate your patience.”

It’s great to include in a professional email, as it shows that you would like the recipient to respect your request.

Generally, including “I would appreciate” shows that you control the situation. It implies that you need the recipient to wait before giving them a reasonable response.

Of course, that means this phrase works best when emailing employees. It shows that you are their boss and want them to respect you and give you the time you need.

Here is an email sample to help you understand more about it:

5. Your Patience Is Appreciated

“Your patience is appreciated” is an excellent professional phrase to include in an email.

It shows that you expect someone to wait for your response, even if they haven’t started waiting yet.

It’s similar to saying something like “thank you for waiting.” It’s a polite phrase suggesting someone will be willing to wait for you before they start doing so. It takes their patience for granted, which works well when emailing customers who need your help.

You can also refer to this example to help you with it:

6. Please Bear With Me

It’s worth using “please bear with me” to convey a more friendly tone in your emails.

After all, it shows that you value the recipient and don’t want to upset them by making them wait without reason.

“Please bear with me” provides a brief excuse to take your time to find an answer. It shows that you’re trying to source a good answer for the recipient before you respond.

We recommend using it when emailing clients. It shows that you’re going above and beyond to answer them correctly rather than getting something wrong without doing your research.

Check out the following email example if you need more help:

7. If You Could Leave It With Me While I

A polite way to ask for patience is “if you could leave it with me while I.”

It shows that you will do what you can to get back to someone. However, it also shows that you don’t know when you’ll have the answers they seek.

For instance, you may use it when emailing customers that need your help. It shows you are happy to help, but you may have to ask other colleagues or your boss for more information.

This example will help you understand more about it:

8. Could You Please Leave It With Me?

So far, we haven’t asked any questions relating to patience. Instead, we’ve made statements asking for someone to be patient with us.

So, “could you please leave it with me?” is a great question alternative that allows you to remain polite.

You should use it when emailing recruiters. It’s a polite way to show that you don’t have the answer they want. It implies that you’ll do what you can to find the answer quickly (especially if you don’t want to disappoint them).

Also, this example should help you understand it:

9. I’ll Get Back to You Very Shortly

You shouldn’t leave anyone waiting for longer than necessary. That’s why “I’ll get back to you very shortly” is such a useful phrase here.

It shows you will do your best to reply quickly, but you can’t make any direct guarantees.

Using words like “very shortly” suggests you’ll do everything you can to reply. You could give the recipient a time frame (like saying “the end of the week”). However, “shortly” allows you to be less specific while still remaining urgent about the situation.

You can also refer to this example: