頑張る
がんばる
to try one's best, to try hard, to persist
Ganbaru (頑張る) is a godan verb meaning "to try one's best, to try hard, to persist". Its polite form is 頑張ります (ganbarimasu), its te form is 頑張って (ganbatte), its past form is 頑張った (ganbatta), and its negative form is 頑張らない (ganbaranai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Ganbaru (頑張る) conjugation quick reference
頑張る means "to try one's best, to try hard, to persist". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Ganbaru example sentences
テストで頑張ります。
I will try my best in the test.
昨日、部活で頑張った。
I tried hard at club activities yesterday.
あまり頑張らないで、体に気をつけて下さい。
Don't try too hard, take care of your body.
How to use Ganbaru: grammar notes
•頑張る is usually used by itself or before ね (like 頑張ってね) to cheer someone on—don’t say 頑張るをします (that sounds unnatural).
•When telling someone "Do your best!" use the て-form: 頑張って！
•Use に when saying what you're trying hard at, like 勉強に頑張る (trying hard at studying), but it's more natural to say 勉強を頑張る in casual speech—both are heard, so don’t stress too much!
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Ganbaru
頑張ってください(がんばってください)
Please do your best / Good luck
明日も頑張ります(あしたも がんばります)
I’ll do my best again tomorrow
一緒に頑張ろう(いっしょに がんばろう)
Let’s do our best together
Ganbaru (頑張る) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 頑張る | ganbaru |
| Masu Form | 頑張ります | ganbarimasu |
| Te Form | 頑張って | ganbatte |
| Past Form | 頑張った | ganbatta |
| Negative Form | 頑張らない | ganbaranai |
| Past Negative | 頑張らなかった | ganbaranakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 頑張ります | ganbarimasu |
| Polite Past | 頑張りました | ganbarimashita |
| Polite Negative | 頑張りません | ganbarimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 頑張りませんでした | ganbarimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 頑張れる | ganbareru |
| Passive Form | 頑張られる | ganbarareru |
| Causative Form | 頑張らせる | ganbaraseru |
| Causative Passive | 頑張らされる | ganbarasareru |
| Volitional Form | 頑張ろう | ganbarou |
| Imperative Form | 頑張れ | ganbare |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 頑張れば | ganbareba |
| Conditional (たら) | 頑張ったら | ganbattara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 頑張っている | ganbatteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 頑張りたい | ganbaritai |
| Prohibition | 頑張るな | ganbaruna |