Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 頑張って！ | ganbatte! | ||
| がんばれ！ | ganbare! | ||
| 健闘を祈る | kentō o inoru | [kẽ̞nto̞ː o̞ ino̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) | |
| 幸運を | kōun o | ||
| 頑張ってください | ganbatte kudasai! | formal |
In Japanese, 'good luck' is often expressed through phrases that encourage effort rather than wishing for passive luck. While English speakers use 'good luck' to mean they hope things go well, it is much more natural in most Japanese social contexts to use expressions centered on active effort, such as 頑張って！, which means 'do your best'.
Which one should you use?
The forms you choose depend on whether you want to focus on a person's effort or the arrival of fortune. 頑張って！ literally means 'do your best' and focuses on encouraging someone's hard work. In contrast, 幸運を is a more direct translation of 'good luck' that focuses on the arrival of good fortune, though it is used less frequently in daily conversation. For high-pressure situations or sports, the imperative form がんばれ！ can be used as a stronger, more forceful command meaning 'go for it!' If someone is entering a formal competition, match or a difficult struggle, the specific expression 健闘を祈る is used to mean 'I wish you a good fight'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For informal situations among friends, you can use 頑張って！, がんばってね or 頑張ってよ. To be polite or to speak with superiors and people you are not close to, use the polite form 頑張ってください, which means 'please do your best'. In very formal settings, you might use 幸運を祈ります to say 'I pray for your good fortune' or 成功をお祈りします to express hopes for someone's success.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding ください to 頑張って creates the polite form 頑張ってください.
How do you pronounce it?
ganbatte!
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use 'good luck' to mean a passive hope that things go well, but using 頑張って to encourage active effort is much more natural in most Japanese social contexts.
Did you know?
- While 頑張って is meant as encouragement, it can feel like a burden to someone who is already exhausted or burnt out. In these cases, saying 無理しないで meaning 'don't overdo it' is a more compassionate alternative.
- When responding to 頑張って！, Japanese speakers rarely say 'thank you' as a first response. Instead, they often reply with 頑張ります！ meaning 'I will do my best!', confirming their commitment to the effort.
- The phrase 頑張って is so central to Japanese society that it describes a cultural ideal of perseverance. This 'ganbaru' spirit is often cited as a key driver of Japanese resilience during national crises.
Examples in context
- 幸運を祈るよ。Good luck!This sentence shows how to use 幸運を to wish someone luck.Tatoeba #173663 by KK_kaku_, translation #429220 by Clavain
- 幸運をお祈りいたします。I wish you good luck.This sentence demonstrates a polite way to wish someone luck using 幸運を.Tatoeba #2432350 by bunbuku, translation #54468 by CK
Example conversation
A woman is encouraging her boyfriend before his big presentation.
- 陽葵 Himariプレゼン、頑張って！Purezen, ganbatte!Good luck with your presentation!
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとう。やってみるよ。Arigatou. Yattemiru yo.Thanks. I'll give it a try.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔なら大丈夫だよ。Hiroto nara daijoubu da yo.You'll be fine, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵に言われると心強いよ。Himari ni iwareru to kokorozuyoi yo.Hearing that from you, Himari, gives me strength.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations and entries 健闘を祈る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
