When instant-messaging with a friend of mine (born in the USA), I used to say wait to interrupt her because I didn't understand something she said, or because she was talking about something for which she had a misunderstanding.
Every time I said that, she replied as if I said wait for me before moving away from my computer to do something, with the result that sometimes she would move away from her computer. This would not happen in a face-to-face communication, since she would notice I was not going anywhere, and there would not be a long delay between the moment I say wait, and when I say what I wanted to say; with instant-messaging, there can be a delay from the moment I write a message and when I complete the next one.
Is there a better/preferable phrase I should use in these cases?
In Italian, aspetta would be a common, informal phrase to use in these cases, but clearly literally translating it didn't have the expected result.
Best Answer
I think wait or wait a minute is okay, and would sound softer, more polite, if you followed either expression with please; however, you also need to follow it up with an expression like I didn't (quite) understand that, or I didn't (quite) understand what you said; I didn't (quite) get that or I didn't (quite) get what you said. All of the preceding expressions could be preceded by Excuse me? and, in fact, when speaking to native English speakers, Excuse me is often sufficient on its own to communicate your intended meaning. Alternate, more casual expressions--which should also be followed by the same kind of explanatory follow-up statement to make your intended meaning completely clear--are: hang on, hang on a second, hold on, or hold on a second.