お前
omae[o̞ma̠e̞]
The Japanese word for 'dude' (referring to a man) is お前 (omae).
お前 is a colloquial way to refer to a man. While it can be used between close male friends to mean 'dude', it is not a gender-neutral term and is almost exclusively used by males.
Meaning: colloquial: man (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お前 is highly informal. Depending on your tone and your relationship with the person, it can sound rude or even aggressive. In contrast, the term ヤロー can also be used to address someone, sometimes in a friendly or playful manner.
How do you pronounce it?
omae
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using お前 toward strangers, teachers or superiors, as it is considered disrespectful in those contexts.
Did you know?
- The word お前 originally meant 'honourable presence in front of me' and was once used to address emperors and gods.
- In traditional Japanese marriage ceremonies or old-fashioned speech, a husband might address his wife as お前.
- The spelling of the word can change in casual writing, where the 'a' sound is often lengthened to sound like おめえ.
Examples in context
- お前、何してるんだ？omae, nani shiteru n da?Dude, what are you doing?
- お前、また遅刻か？omae, mata chikoku ka?Dude, are you late again?
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a video game.
- 大翔 Hirotoお前、このボス強すぎないか？Omae, kono bosu tsuyosuginai ka?Dude, isn't this boss way too strong?
- 美咲 Misaki確かに。作戦を変えたほうがいいよ。Tashika ni. Sakusen o kaeta hou ga ii yo.True. We should probably change our strategy.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、俺が囮になるよ。Jaa, ore ga otoko ni naru yo.Alright, I'll be the decoy.
- 美咲 Misakiいい考えだね、大翔。Ii kangae da ne, Hiroto.That's a good idea, Hiroto.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お前, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お前, CC BY-SA 4.0.
