Can you wait for me? I'll be right back.
'Aspettarmi' — 'as-pet-TAR-mi'. The 'mi' is the indirect pronoun 'me' attached to the infinitive.
Use when making a quick stop — collecting luggage, dropping something off — and you want the driver to keep the meter running and wait.
'Può aspettarmi' is the formal 'Lei' form: 'can you wait for me'. 'Torno subito' means 'I'll be back immediately'. The meter continues running while the driver waits, which is completely standard.
Aspetti qui, faccio in cinque minuti.
Wait here, I'll be done in five minutes.
Formal imperative 'aspetti' + realistic timeframe.
Lasci girare il tassametro.
Let the meter keep running.
Explicitly acknowledges you will pay for the wait time.
Sono veloce, non si muova.
I'll be quick, don't move.
Informal reassurance that you will not be long.
Asking a taxi to wait is perfectly normal in Italy for short stops. For longer waits, agree on a price upfront or the meter will tick up significantly. Some drivers charge a fixed 'sosta' (waiting) rate per minute.