If you’ve ever cheered on a friend in Japan, you’ve probably shouted “Ganbare!” or “Ganbatte!” at least once. But what do they actually mean? Ganbare (頑張れ) or ganbatte (頑張って) is a Japanese phrase that means “Come on!” “Let’s go!” or “Go for it!” in English. It literally translates to “Do your best” and can be used to motivate your friends or peers during a sporting event, a big exam, or any moment that needs an extra boost of encouragement.

But did you know that this uniquely Japanese word carries more nuance than just a simple “good luck” or “do your best”? In this guide, we’ll explore the verb ganbaru, its various conjugations, its cultural significance, and how to use each form appropriately. Make sure to watch the YouTube video below, and read our full guide!

Meaning of Ganbaru and Ganbarimasu

The Japanese words ganbare, ganbatte, and ganbarimasu are based on the same Japanese verb: ganbaru. On its own, this verb means to persevere, do one’s best, or work hard.

The meaning becomes clearer when you look at the individual kanji:

• 張 means “stretch” or “extend,” suggesting effort and pushing oneself.
• 頑 means “stubborn” or “firm,” conveying determination and resolve.

So in a literal sense, 頑張る conveys the idea of stretching yourself to your limit or pushing through something with effort and determination.

There are two main theories about the origin of 頑張る (ganbaru). One suggests it comes from 我を張る (ga o haru), meaning “to insist on one’s own ideas.” The other traces it to 眼張る (ganharu), meaning “to keep watch” or “stretch one’s eyes.” Both origins highlight the kanji 張 (haru), which means “to stretch” or “strain,” reflecting the idea of sticking to something and never giving up.

Variations of Ganbaru, Ganbatte, and Ganbare

Form	Japanese	Meaning / Nuance	Usage / Context
Dictionary / Base	頑張る (ganbaru)	to do one’s best, to persevere	Basic form; casual or dictionary use.
Polite Present / Future	頑張ります (ganbarimasu)	I will do my best	Polite form for conversation, work, or school.
Polite Volitional	頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou)	Let’s do our best	Polite, inclusive way to motivate a group.
Imperative / Casual Encouragement	頑張れ！ (ganbare)	Do your best! / Hang in there!	Cheer someone on; casual/familiar tone.
Te-form / Friendly Encouragement	頑張って！ (ganbatte)	Keep it up! / Do your best!	Soft, casual encouragement in speech or messages.
Past / Completed Effort	頑張った (ganbatta)	I did my best / You did your best	Reflects effort already made; praise or self-reflection.
Volitional / Let’s Do Our Best	頑張ろう (ganbarou)	Let’s do our best	Casual, motivational way to invite others to join in effort.

If you’re just starting out with Japanese, you probably know 頑張る (ganbaru) in its basic form. But you’ll also encounter many variations: 頑張ります (ganbarimasu), 頑張って (ganbatte), 頑張れ (ganbare), 頑張ろう (ganbarou). Why so many?

It all comes down to verb conjugation.

Each form keeps the core meaning of “to do your best”, but adds a different nuance: polite, casual, encouraging, or collective. Let’s break them down so you can use each one.

Note: Ganbaru is considered a う-verb (u-verb), a Japanese verbs that end in an “-u” sound in its dictionary form, such as う, つ, む, ぬ, る, く, ぐ, す, ぶ, ぷ. They are also called 五段活用動詞 (godan katsuyou doushi). These verbs change their ending depending on tense, mood, or politeness, which is why conjugation rules differ from other verbs. This affects how it’s conjugated into forms like ganbarimasu, ganbatte, ganbarou, and ganbatta. Knowing its verb type helps you apply the right endings naturally.

1. Ganbaru (頑張る)

The verb 頑張る (ganbaru) in its plain form is the base form you’ll find in a Japanese dictionary. On its own, ganbaru can mean “to persevere,” “I persevere.”

Since Japanese does not technically have a distinct future tense like English, ganbaru can also mean “I will persevere.” This form also combines easily with grammar structures, such as ことにしました, which expresses a decision:

だから頑張ることにしました。
Dakara ganbaru koto ni shimashita.
That’s why I decided to do my best.

In the plain present tense, ganbaru can describe ongoing effort, though actual present-moment usage is rare because the present is fleeting. For example, when asking why someone is trying hard:

なぜ、そんなに頑張るんですか。
Naze, sonna ni ganbarun desu ka.
Why do you try so hard?

You can also use it when talking about your own plans in a neutral way:

明日テストを頑張る。
Ashita tesuto o ganbaru.
I’ll do my best on the test tomorrow

2. Ganbarimasu (頑張ります)

Japanese distinguishes between formal and informal speech, and that’s where the -ます form comes in. The only difference between 頑張る (ganbaru) and 頑張ります (ganbarimasu) is the polite ~ます ending, which replaces the plain る ending.

Use ganbarimasu when you are speaking to strangers, colleagues, or superiors—anyone where politeness is expected. Interestingly, your superiors might still respond to you in plain form; in Japanese, this is not rude. Instead, it reflects the social hierarchy: the language you use signals your relative position in the conversation.

Example:

明日も頑張ります。
Ashita mo ganbarimasu.
I’ll do my best tomorrow too.

By switching to -masu, you keep the same meaning as ganbaru, but with the polite tone appropriate for formal or professional settings.

3. Ganbatte (頑張って)

Now we move to a slightly more complex conjugation: the te-form. In general, the -て form is used to connect verbs or indicate ongoing actions, acting as a bridge that lets you create more complex or compound expressions.

In the case of 頑張って (ganbatte), it’s often short for 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai). The te kudasai (～てください) grammar point is used to make polite requests, so here it translates roughly as “Please do your best.” Think of it as a soft command—similar to saying “Go for it!” in English. It’s direct, but friendly and encouraging.

試験、頑張って！
Shiken, ganbatte!
Good luck on your exam!

明日も頑張ってください。
Ashita mo ganbatte kudasai.
Please do your best tomorrow, too.

While ganbatte is technically a command, it’s used in a positive, supportive way. Adding ください makes it polite, which is perfect for teachers, colleagues, or anyone you want to encourage respectfully.

Read More: How to Conjugate Te Form

4. Ganbare (頑張れ)

Ganbare is another form of encouragement, but it’s a stronger, more intense command than ganbatte. While ganbatte is like saying “Go for it!” in a friendly way, ganbare is closer to “Fight!!!” or “Give it everything you’ve got!” It carries a sense of urgency and intensity, which is why you often hear it shouted during sports matches or competitive situations.

Because of its forceful tone, ganbare should be used carefully, especially in polite or formal situations. Using it too casually can come across as rude, since you’re giving a strong command rather than a gentle encouragement.

頑張れ、チーム！
Ganbare, chiimu!
Go for it, team!

For learners, it’s best to stick with ganbatte in everyday situations. Over time, as you get a feel for social context in Japanese, you’ll know when it’s appropriate to use the heavier-hitting ganbare. 

5. Ganbarou (頑張ろう) 

Ganbarou is the volitional form of 頑張る (ganbaru), which in Japanese expresses “let’s …”. Unlike ganbatte or ganbare, where you position yourself as a commander or instructor to someone else, ganbarou is more collective. 

It has a friendly, rallying energy, like a verbal high-five that says, “We’ve got this!” It is similar to “let’s…” in English:

さぁ、今日も一日頑張ろう。

Saa, kyou mo ichinichi ganbarou.
Alright, let’s give it our all today, too!

The volitional form isn’t just for inviting others to take action with you. You can also use it to show personal determination or commitment:

期待に応えられるように、頑張ろう。

Kitai ni kotaerareru you ni, ganbarou.
I’ll work hard to meet everyone’s expectations.

Here, you could use 頑張る (ganbaru) instead, but the volitional form conveys a stronger intent, almost like making a promise to yourself or others. To make this polite, simply swap 頑張ろう for 頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou). This keeps the friendly, motivational tone but adds a layer of politeness for workplace or formal settings.

6. Ganbarimashou (頑張りましょう)

頑張りましょう (ganbarimashou) is the polite way of saying “Let’s do our best” or “Let’s work hard.” It’s used when you want to encourage a group—including yourself—to give it your all. The word comes from 頑張り (ganbari), the stem of 頑張る, plus ましょう (mashou), which adds the “let’s do” meaning.

Compared to the casual 頑張ろう (ganbarou), which feels more friendly and upbeat, 頑張りましょう is polite but still motivating, perfect for encouraging others in a respectful way.

The Spirit of Ganbare or Ganbatte in Japanese Culture

Although a seemingly simple term, ganbare, ganbatte, or their other modifications have roots in Japanese culture and a view on perseverance and determination, you’ll hear it chanted in sports competitions and anime series, mostly to encourage the other party to do their best and never give up, no matter how hard the challenge.

Saying those words isn’t just reserved for special occasions, though. From a young age, Japanese people are exposed to ganbatte through various mundane activities: doing homework, studying for a test, or fighting with friends.

The word ganbare is ingrained in almost every stage of life in the Japanese community. As you grow old, you’ll face even more significant problems, like finding a job, overcoming a hard breakup, or confronting a problem at work. In the end, the spirit of ganbatte reminds individuals in Japan that even in times of great hardship, you need to trust your ability.

Japanese Kanji and Writing for Ganbare or Ganbatte

The Japanese word for ganbatte originated from the verb 頑張る (read as ganbaru), which means “to do your best” or “to work hard.” However, people tend to follow the first definition more in many social contexts. The Japanese kanji 頑 (gan) means “tough” or “stubborn”, while the last character 張る (haru) means “to be prominent”.

Ganbare vs Ganbatte

How did it turn into ganbare or ganbatte? The term ganbatte (頑張って) is the conjunctive form of 頑張る. Ganbatte is the shortened form of てください, which is to turn a plain Japanese verb into a polite command or request: “I would ask you to (verb).”

The longer version of ganbatte is ganbatte kudasai (頑張ってください), but this might sound a bit too formal if you’re speaking to your friends or close family members. This is why sometimes people just opt to say “ganbatte”. It can be written in kanji as 頑張って, in hiragana as がんばって, or in katakana as ガンバッテ.

You might wonder: ganbatte is not a loanword that the Japanese language takes, so why can we use katakana? This is because katakana emphasizes things, especially on signs, advertisements, or texts. Examples are gomi (ゴミ) and megane (メガネ), each meaning trash and glasses, respectively. When you type ガンバッテ, it shows you want the reader to pay attention to your words of encouragement.

It may also be said as “ganbatte ne”( 頑張ってね) or “ganbatte yo” (頑張ってよ) for more emphasis on overcoming the task at hand.

You can also add ね or よ for more emphasis.

頑張ってね!
Ganbatte ne!

頑張ってよ!
Ganbatte yo!

Ganbare (がんばれ), on the other hand, stems from the same verb, but it’s in a command form. The verb conjugation changes action in solid commands, and it’s less polite than saying ganbatte kudasai (がんばってください).

The Best Time to Use Ganbare or Ganbatte

Ganbare has a positive connotation; you need to use it with empathy and without being flippant or joking, which could be seen as insensitive.

• A coworker or friend is taking an exam or a test
• A friend is playing in a sporting match or running a marathon
• A friend will do something difficult, like asking someone to marry them.
• A friend has expressed a worry about a big event or challenge that they have coming up.

Inappropriate Situations to Use Gabare or Ganbatte

Despite the versatility of ganbare and ganbatte, there are some situations where it’s far from appropriate. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to face your vulnerability. When someone is facing genuine trouble, read the room and show empathy. Saying, “Let’s do our best!” to someone having a hard time can make us sound tone-deaf and insensitive instead.

Here are a couple of situations where saying ganbare or ganbatte is not advisable.

• A friend has had something tragic happen to them or their family
• A friend is expressing a deep level of sadness or worry

Video Transcript

頑張れ！頑張れ！
Ganbare! Ganbare!
Ganbare! Ganbare!

皆さん、「頑張れ」この言葉聞いたのことがあすか？
Minasan, “ganbare” koto kotoba kiita no koto ga arimasuka?
Hi everyone, have you heard the word “ganbare” before?

「頑張れ」は試合毛ていると応援する時に使う言葉です。
“ganbare” wa shiai geteiru to ouensuru toki ni tsukau kotoba desu
When people are at a sporting match and they are supporting their team, they will use this word!

例えば、野球の試合を呼びに行きます好きな選手が出ています。
Tatoeba, yakyuu no shiai o yobini ikimasu suki na senshu ga deteimasu
For example, next time you go to a baseball game and your favorite player appears,

「頑張れ！頑張れ！」
“ganbare! ganbare!”
You can scream “Ganbare! Ganbare!”

ラグビーやサッカーのワールドカップオリンピックでも「頑張れ頑張れ」と応援することができます。
Ragubi ya sakka no Warudokapu orinpikku demo “ganbare ganbare” to ouensuru koto ga dekimasu.
You can use the word to support your team at the Rugby and Soccer World Cup, and the Olympics.

「頑張れ」この言葉は「頑張って」や「頑張ってください」よりも
“ganbare” kono kotoba wa “ganbatte” ya “ganbatte kudasai” yori mo
The word “ganbare” is similar to “ganbatte” or “ganbatte kudasai.”

強いの言葉です。
tsuyoi no kotoba desu.
But it has a stronger meaning.

すこし、男っぽくて強い言葉なので試合を応援する時に使います。
Sukoshi, otokoppokute tsuyoi kotoba nano de shiai o ouensuru toki ni tsukaimasu.
It’s a very manly word that you can use to support your team during a sporting match.

試合はワクワクドキドキしますね、ですから女の人も試合の時は「頑張れ」と言ってもいです。
Shiai wa waku waku doki doki shimasune, desukara onna no hito mo shiai no toki wa “ganbare” to itte mo idesu.
When you get excited during a football match or a baseball game and you want to support your team, women can also use “ganbare”.

「頑張って」この言葉は色々なシチュエーションでいろことができます。
“Ganbatte” kono kotoba wa iro iro na tsuchinoeshion de iro koto ga dekimasu.
“Ganbatte” is a word that can be used in many different types of situations.

例えば、友達がこーいます「あ、明日試験があるんだ」
Tatoeba, tomodachi ga koiimasu : “a, ashita shiken ga arunda.”
For example, when your friend tells you: “Ugh, I have an exam tomorrow.”

「頑張って！」
“Ganbatte!”
“Do your best!”

「あ、明日彼女にプロポーズするんだ」
“a ashita kanojo ni puopozu surunda”
“I’m going to propose to my girlfriend tomorrow.”

「頑張って！」
“Ganbatte!”
“Do your best!”

「頑張って」はカジュアルの表現なので家族や恋人友達に使ってください。
“Ganbatte” wa casuaru no hyougen nanode kazoku ya koibito tomodachi ni tsukatte kudasai.
“Ganbatte” is a casual expression that you can use when talking to family and friends.

最後に、もう一つ「頑張ります」を紹介します。
Saigo ni, mou hitotsu “ganbarimasu” o shoukai shimasu.
Finally, we have one more word to introduce: “ganbarimasu.”

「頑張ります」はいつ使うのでしょうか？
“ganbarimasu” wa itsu tsukau no deshouka?
When should we use “ganbarimasu”?

そうれでは説明します。
Sourede wa setsumenshimasu.
Let’s break it down.

実は私来年の3月に東京マラソンに出ます。
Jitsu wa atashi rainen no sangatsu ni toukyou maranson ni temasu.
I will really be running the Tokyo marathon next year in March.

そのことを先輩や他の先生に言うと先輩や他の先生はこう言いました「え～すごいね。頑張ってね！」
Sono koto wo senpai ya hoka no sensei ni iyuto senpai ya hoka no sensei wa kouiimashita: “e~ sugoi ne. Ganbatte ne!”
So my coworkers, and other more senior teachers told me: “Oh wow, do your best (good luck)!”

その時私はこう言います「ありがとうございます、頑張ります！」
Sono toki watashi wa kouiimasu: “arigaritou gozaimasu, ganbarimasu!”
At that time, I replied by saying: “Thank you so much, I will try my best!”

「頑張ります」は自分より上の人
“Ganbarimasu” wa jibun yori ue no hito
“Ganbarimasu” is used when people who are above me,

例えば、上司や先輩の人が頑張ってねと
tatoeba joushi ya senpaino hito ga ganbattene to
like my boss or my senior coworkers, tell me to do my best.

応援してな時に
ouen shitenatoki ni
When they show their support

「はい、頑張ります」と答えます。
“hai, ganbarimasu” to kotae masu.
I can answer them by saying: Yes, I will try my best!

はい、皆さん、今日のビデオはここまです。
Hai, minasan, kyou no bideo wa koko made desu.
Okay, everyone! That is all for today’s video.

皆さんは日本語の勉強頑張っていますね！
Minasan wa nihongo no benkyou ganbatte imasune!
Everyone, you’re all doing your best to learn Japanese!

皆さん、頑張って！
Minasan, ganbatte!
Everyone, do your best!

もし質問があったたら、是非このコメントに残してください。私たちが答えられるかもしれません。
moshi shitsumon ga atta tara, zehi kono komento ni nokoshite kudasai. Watashitachi ga kotae rareru kamoshiremasen.
If you have any questions, please share them in the comment section. We might answer them!

それでは皆さん、頑張ってね！
Sorede wa minasan, ganbatte ne!
So then, everyone, go for it/do your best!

Start taking Japanese lessons and learn beyond ganbare!

Ganbarimasu in learning Japanese! While this is one of the most useful Japanese phrases you can use, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of other things you need to know to speak Japanese confidently.

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FAQ

What is the difference between ganbatte and ganbaru?

頑張れ (ganbare) is the command form of 頑張る, so it has a stronger, more direct imperative tone—like saying “Do your best!” or “Hang in there!” with urgency.

頑張って (ganbatte), on the other hand, is a shortened version of 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai), which is more of a polite request and therefore sounds less demanding.

What is the original word for ganbare and ganbatte?

Ganbare and ganbatte come from the word ganbaru (頑張る) or ganbarimasu (頑張ります), which means “do your best”

How do you respond to “Ganbare”?

When someone says 頑張れ (ganbare) or 頑張って (ganbatte) to you, common responses include:

• Un, ganbaru: “Yeah, I’ll do my best!” (casual)
• Hai!: “Yes!” or “Okay!”
• Ganbarimasu: “I’ll do my best!” (polite)

Is “Ganbatte kudasai” polite?

Yes. 頑張ってください (ganbatte kudasai) is the polite request form of “do your best.” Adding ください (kudasai) makes it respectful,

What does “Ganbare ganbare” mean?

Repeating it (頑張れ頑張れ) is a way to cheer someone on even more enthusiastically—like shouting “Go, go, you can do it!” in a sports game or during a performance.

Love reading this? You might be interested in:

• Basic Japanese Phrases You Need to Know Before Coming to Japan
• 100 Basic Japanese Verbs