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JAPANESE VERB

がんばる

頑張る

to do your best

  • #87 most used
  • Godan verb (u-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI do your best
NegativeI don’t do your best

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI did your best
NegativeI didn’t do your best

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formdoing your best, and…
Doing now (て います)I am doing your best
Please (て ください)please do your best

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can do your best
NegativeI can’t do your best

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to do your best
NegativeI don’t want to do your best

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s do your best

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I do your best
  2. If, when (たら) if I do your best

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) do your best (do it)
  2. Plain command do your best!
  3. Please don’t please don’t do your best

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am done your best
CausativeI make someone do your best

How to use がんばる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    しけん の ため に まいにち がんばります。

    I'll work hard every day for the exam.

  2. Past

    こんしゅう は ほんとう に がんばりました。

    I really gave it my all this week.

  3. Te-form

    あした は しあい です ね。 がんばって ください。

    The match is tomorrow, right? Good luck.

  4. Potential

    もう すこし がんばれます か。

    Can you keep going a bit longer?

  5. Want to

    にほんご を もっと がんばりたい です。

    I want to work harder at my Japanese.

  6. Volitional

    さいご まで いっしょ に がんばろう。

    Let's keep at it together to the end.

  7. Conditional

    がんばれば、 きっと できます よ。

    If you try hard, you can surely do it.

  8. Commands and requests

    もっと がんばりなさい！ あと すこし だ よ。

    Try harder! Just a little more.

  9. Passive and causative

    こども を むり に がんばらせないで ください。

    Please don't push the children too hard.

Good to know

  • がんばって ください is "good luck", and がんばります is the answer: I'll do my best.
  • がんばれ, the plain command, is what you shout at a game.

Where you hear がんばる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 1

  • まいにち しごと を がんばります。 I work hard every day.
  • きょう は よく がんばりました。 I did my best today.
  • あした も がんばります！ I'll do my best tomorrow too!

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • まいにち えいご を がんばって います。 I'm working hard at English every day.
  • めんせつ、 がんばりました！ I did my best at the interview!
  • あした も がんばります。 I'll do my best tomorrow too.
22
The Beach at Kamakura

Beginner Level 1 · がんばって ください！ · がんばります！

Needs a subscription 1
The Morning After

Beginner Level 2 · がんばります！

Free 28
Meeting the Parents

Beginner Level 2 · がんばって います

Needs a subscription 30
Fireworks Over the Sea

Beginner Level 3 · がんばった

Needs a subscription 7
Sports Day

Intermediate Level 1 · がんばれ！

Needs a subscription 9
Mount Takao

Intermediate Level 1 · がんばる

Needs a subscription 23
A Secret Mission

Intermediate Level 1 · じゃ、 がんばる！

Needs a subscription 15
N3

Intermediate Level 2 · がんばれた

Needs a subscription 19
The Seating Plan

Intermediate Level 2 · がんばる。

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).