# "Waiting on" vs. "waiting for" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504 "2010-01-11T14:02:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/21 "2010-01-13T14:37:14Z")
If you think the “waiting on” vs. “waiting for” argument is ridiculous, take solace in that they both at least make sense. To this day, no one has given me a decent explanation why some people (East Coast of the U.S.) feel that it makes sense to tell time by using the phrase “fifteen of 12” vs. “fifteen until/'til 12.” 15 (minutes) _ **until** _ 12 is 11:45; 15 **of** 12 is 1.25. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/22 "2010-01-13T14:49:46Z")
I use both “waiting on” and “waiting for” but that could be because I have lived everywhere and moved so much that my dialect and accent doesn’t really have a home base anymore. 😉 I tend to “wait on” an event or a person (to do something). I am waiting on my husband to get home right now. 😉 I am also waiting on the arrival of a notice that I expect in the mail today. I wait for almost everything else. I sometimes stand in line waiting for things. In more formal situations I only ever wait for anything and forget I ever waited on it to begin with. 😉 I also only end sentences with prepositions in more casual communication, otherwise I would forget I ever “waited on” anything, full stop.😉 ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/23 "2010-01-13T15:17:14Z")
Grew up in the Appalachians but moved around a lot in a military career. Neither sounds wrong to me but I generally would use “waiting for”. Thinking about it only a few minutes in the context of this thread, the “waiting on” seems more personal in that the pending activity is for me specifically: “Waiting on my wife to pick me up” vs “Waiting for the bus”. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/24 "2010-01-13T15:30:34Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > 15 **of** 12 is 1.25. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/25 "2010-01-13T15:38:26Z")
I personally use “waiting on” to emphasize a person or object. “I’m waiting on MY GIRLFRIEND to get dressed.” I use “waiting for” to emphasize events. “I’m waiting for the sun TO GO DOWN.” I suppose the major difference is which part of the sentence is necessary information and which part is the extra data tacked on for completeness or filler. I’m waiting on MY PAYCHECK to arrive. I’m waiting for my paycheck TO CLEAR THE BANK. But then again, maybe it has to do with being active or passive? If I said I’m waiting on Joey, you might think that Joey is holding us back from doing something (e.g. leaving a party). But if I’m waiting _for_ Joey, then we’re standing around at the party, anticipating his arrival. Can someone explain why that is? > [@blondebear](#): > > But…but…what about [The Kinks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tired_of_Waiting_for_You)? 😃 Man, I swear, there are absolutely \*\*no \*\*country fans on the Dope. How could [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_on_a_woman)not be the first thing you think of? > [@davekhps](#): > > 15 **of** 12 is 1.25. Nu-uh. It’s 180. 15 cartons of 12 eggs… ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/26 "2010-01-13T15:40:39Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > 15 **of** 12 is 1.25. > > > [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > > > 😕 …because 15/12 is 1.25. Took me a second too. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/27 "2010-01-13T15:54:26Z")
I’m hearing it more and more, and it bothers me. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/28 "2010-01-13T15:56:31Z")
> [@davekhps](#): > > If you think the “waiting on” vs. “waiting for” argument is ridiculous, take solace in that they both at least make sense. > > To this day, no one has given me a decent explanation why some people (East Coast of the U.S.) feel that it makes sense to tell time by using the phrase “fifteen of 12” vs. “fifteen until/'til 12.” 15 (minutes) _ **until** _ 12 is 11:45; 15 **of** 12 is 1.25. Both would confuse me. I could probably work out “until” but I wouldn’t have the faintest what “of” meant. Before? After? Where I’m from it’s only “quarter\*\*\* to \*\*\*twelve” and “quarter _ **past** _ twelve”. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/29 "2010-01-13T15:58:00Z")
I must say that the only mental image I can get from “I’m waiting on [somebody]” (unless, of course, the discussion is about restaurants) is someone sitting on said person’s body, be it dead or alive, waiting for something to happen. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/30 "2010-01-13T16:46:34Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Both would confuse me. I could probably work out “until” but I wouldn’t have the faintest what “of” meant. Before? After? > > Where I’m from it’s only “quarter\*\*\* to \*\*\*twelve” and “quarter _ **past** _ twelve”. Same deal, I use “to” interchangeable with until or 'til. “Of” still makes no dang sense to me, I don’t even know where that _could_ come from and still mean what it’s supposed to mean. Oh, and a quarter of twelve is 3 ;-). ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/31 "2010-01-13T17:15:20Z")
I (living in midwest) have also heard _waiting on_ used in the sense of _waiting for_, though the latter is far more common. I have the vague impression that _waiting on_ refers to an event which you are fairly sure is going to happen soon or at a specific time (e.g. “I’m waiting on the 2:15 train.”), and that _waiting for_ means the event is less certain (“I’m waiting for a sign from God.”). But that seems far too subtle to be a general rule… ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/32 "2010-01-13T18:22:09Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > In recent years I’ve come across things like, “I’d like to buy a new TV, but I’m waiting on my tax refund.” > > To me this sounds very foreign. I"m in the New York City area, and never heard it until a few years ago. Such a context would never be anything but “waiting for.” That’s surprising. I think I hear “waiting on” and “standing on line” from New Yorkers more than anyone else. I assumed that’s where it had originated. ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/33 "2010-01-13T18:28:29Z")
^ When I hear either of them, it’s like nails down a chalkboard. It’s just like when people say, “Are you coming with?” or “Have you ever been?” ---
**Author:** ![sco3tt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sco3tt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sco3tt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/34 "2010-01-13T18:54:16Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > I have the vague impression that _waiting on_ refers to an event which you are fairly sure is going to happen soon or at a specific time (e.g. “I’m waiting on the 2:15 train.”), and that _waiting for_ means the event is less certain (“I’m waiting for a sign from God.”). But that seems far too subtle to be a general rule… I’m from the Midwest U.S. as well, and while “on” is definitely heard a lot less than “for” around those parts, this is exactly the distinction that I’ve always assumed about the usage. This interpretation also jibes with Mick Jagger and Ray Davies’ statements: “I’m just waiting on a friend” implies that Mick fully expects his friend (or some stranger who will become a friend, or perhaps his dealer) to arrive shortly. “So tired of waiting for you” implies that Ray knows it’s pointless, and that you’re always going to keep-a him waiting. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/35 "2010-01-13T23:27:24Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Both would confuse me. I could probably work out “until” but I wouldn’t have the faintest what “of” meant. Before? After? It means before. Ten of twelve means it’s 11:50. I take issue with davekhps’ example, though - no one would say fifteen of, but quarter of. Other rules for its usage are that it’s only used with increments of five, and only between twenty and five: no one says “thirteen of eleven” or “twenty-five of three.” ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/36 "2010-01-14T02:02:34Z")
I heard “waiting on” used where I would have used “waiting for” when I was in college. The town where the college was located had a high German immigrant population, and I was told that “waiting on” was based on German prepositional structure. Supposedly (and I never tried to confirm this, so I can’t vouch for it’s accuracy) the German phrase that meant “waiting for (someone)” was commonly translated into English as “waiting on (someone)”. This was over thirty years ago, and I may not be remembering this correctly, so feel free to point out how wrong I am. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504/37 "2010-01-14T15:08:13Z")
My family background is German and they never said “waiting on” (although they were not recent immigrants). Also, the parts of the U.S. where “waiting on” seems to be most prevalent do not have a lot of Germans. You may be right but I don’t think it would be the most general explanation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waiting-on-vs-waiting-for/524504.md?page=1)