From the begining I have taught my pup to 'wait' - before he crosses the road, before he gets dives into his dinner, before running up to people and jumping all over them etc.  But when talking to a friend yesterday she said I should be teaching him to 'wait' and to 'stay', she didn't explain the difference very well at all.  Result - I'm confused 
Can anyone explain the difference to me and should I be teaching pup both words?  Thanks.
Jax

a wait is a wait till you call you to join me, a stay is a stay untill i come back to you.

id usse wait while crossing the road

yes 2 totally different commands.  Use wait to cross road.  Stay usually means stay there for a long time until I come back to you.

Hi Jax

The easiest is to forget about stay and wait and just use one command - Sit - ie sit there till I tell you you can move.  You MUST have a release word though for the end of an exercise if you do this ie "okay" or "go play", not Good Dog/Girl as this is praise.

The problem with this is that the rest of the family also have to use the same command words and not, for instance say, Sit Down, when you want your dog to sit :D

I used to use the different phrases - but what Kerioak says makes 100% sense to me, and it's what I shall do with my next dog.

Hi Kerioak

Thanks.  I was wondering when I would need to use 'stay' as I use the release word 'okay' with 'wait'.  He is only 6 months but knows that when he is told to 'sit, wait' he doesn't move until he gets the command 'okay, cross' or 'okay, come' etc.  No worries about other family members - only me and hubby and we always say pups name before a command, it seems to work well.  I just don't want to confuse him (well, I don't want to confuse myself ;) you can tell I'm a beginner at this can't you)
Jax

In dog training there is, as with anything, a lot of "superstition" and sometimes an obsession with commands as though if one uses the "correct" command then everything will fall into place. :)

For years people have been taught that if you leave your dog for a recall you say "wait" and if you leave it for a "stay" you say "stay".

I never use the word wait or stay; I command my dog to "assume the position" :D whether it be down, sit or stand and I expect the dog to maintain that position until and unless it is released.  IMHO wait and stay are not ony completely superfluous but confusing for the dog.  Why should a sit at heel, at distance, positions on the move, distance control or during a stay use any different or additional commands?

But you must use what you prefer.  Commands are a matter of personal preference and it matters little what you use as long as the dog understands :D

I am an exponent of "less is more" where commands are concerned myself. :D

Commands can mean anything.  I always use "stay" no mater what I'm doing and only use "wait" to stop a dog in its tracks.  Stay is used for both stays and recals and my dogs have coped with them well.

Rox

I have always found by using two commands the dog learns what to expect. If left in the wait, she will stay alert and await my next instruction,  When left in the stay, she has learnt to relax as she isn't going anywhere until I return.

At the end of the day use whatever you and your dog feel comfortable with.

Sandra