次は頑張って
Tsugi wa ganbatte
In Japanese, "better luck next time" is expressed as 次は頑張って (Tsugi wa ganbatte).
This phrase is used to encourage someone who has failed or lost to try again and succeed in the future.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 次は頑張って is informal and should only be used with friends, peers or people younger than you. For more formal situations, you can use 次回、がんばってください。 to say "Please do your best next time."
How do you pronounce it?
Tsugi wa ganbatte
Did you know?
- If you say 次は頑張って to a superior or a teacher, it can actually come across as condescending. Even though it is meant to be kind, you are essentially telling a person of higher status to 'work harder', which violates social hierarchy.
- While English uses 'luck' in this phrase, the Japanese 頑張って focuses entirely on 'effort' or 'perseverance'. To suggest someone simply have better luck would sound passive, as Japanese culture emphasizes the person's own drive to succeed.
- The root of 頑張る contains a character meaning 'persistence' or 'tenacity', reflecting a cultural value of 'gaman' or enduring difficult situations with patience.
Examples in context
- 次は頑張って。tsugi wa ganbatte.Better luck next time.
- 残念だったね。次は頑張って！zannen datta ne. tsugi wa ganbatte!That was too bad. Better luck next time!
- 失敗しても大丈夫。次は頑張ってね。shippai shite mo daijoubu. tsugi wa ganbatte ne.It's okay to fail. Better luck next time.
Example conversation
Kenta failed a difficult entrance exam and Himari is comforting him.
- 健太 Kenta不合格だった。本当に悔しいよ。fugoukaku datta. hontou ni kuyashii yo.I failed. I'm so frustrated.
- 陽葵 Himari泣かないで。次は頑張って。nakanaide. tsugi wa ganbatte.Don't cry. Better luck next time.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう、陽葵。また挑戦するよ。arigatou, hi-mari. mata chousen suru yo.Thanks, Himari. I will try again.
- 陽葵 Himari健太なら絶対できるよ！kenta nara zettai dekiru yo!I know you can do it, Kenta!
