Do your best! Ganbatte! がんばって！

Ganbatte - Do your best! Ganbatte - Good luck!

One word that fascinates me to no end is the word ganbatte (sometimes written gambatte). It is a saying used to encourage people to try hard or used before a performance to say good luck. Ian Thomas Ash has an excellent write up on the various conjugations of the word ganbatte. It starts to get pretty complex, but think about all the ways you can encourage people to do their best!


Don't forget to support our friends in Japan!

How to write ganbatte:

頑張って (がんばって)Ganbatte: Do your best

The word ganbatte stems from the verb ganbaru:

頑張る (がんばる)
Ganbaru: To do one's best

Here are some other ways to use this handy verb:

頑張ります (がんばります)Ganbarimasu: I do my best

頑張れ (がんばれ)
Ganbare: Do your best

頑張ってください (がんばってください)Ganbatte Kudasai: Do your best, please. (formal)

頑張った (がんばった)
Ganbatta: I did my best

頑張りました (がんばりました)
Ganbarimashita: I did my best (formal)

頑張れます (がんばれます)
Ganbaremasu: I can do my best

頑張れる (がんばられる)
Ganbareru: I am able to do my best

頑張っています (がんばっています)
Ganbatteimasu: I am doing my best

頑張りたい (がんばりたい)
Ganbaritai: I want to do my best

頑張っていた (がんばっていた)
Ganbatteita: I was doing my best

頑張らなかった (がんばらなかった)
Ganbaranakatta: I did not do my best

頑張りなさい (がんばりなさい)
Ganbarinasai: you had better do your best

頑張ってくれ (がんばってくれ)
Ganbatekure: do your best for me

One instance where I find ganbaru useful is when I'm talking about my understanding of the Japanese language. I'll say, "私は日本語がちょっと分かります、でもがんばります！" (Watashi wa Nihongo ga chotto wakarimasu, demo ganbarimasu!). Which means, "I understand a little Japanese, but I do my best!".

頑張って！

(がんばって！ - Ganbatte!)
Do your best!