What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down to お仕事 (work, in a polite form), 頑張って (do your best, in an imperative or request form) and ね (right?).
Which one should you use?
If you want to say "have a good day" or "see you later" to someone leaving the house, the standard phrase is いってらっしゃい. While お仕事頑張ってね encourages effort, いってらっしゃい is the standard phrase used to say "have a good day" or "see you later" to someone leaving the house.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more polite tone when speaking to a superior or someone you are not close with, use お仕事がんばってください or お仕事頑張ってください. The form 仕事頑張れ is much more blunt and is typically used between very close male friends or in a commanding tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle ね at the end of お仕事頑張ってね adds a friendly, softening tone to the encouragement.
How do you pronounce it?
oshigoto ganbatte ne
Did you know?
- In a professional setting, a subordinate would never say 頑張って to a boss, as giving encouragement to a superior can imply that you are in a position to evaluate their effort.
- The root of the word 頑張って is the verb 頑張る, which originally meant to 'to stand firm' or 'to resist' through a difficult situation. It carries a sense of psychological resilience rather than just working hard.
- While 頑張って encourages effort, saying it to someone who is already exhausted or overworked can sometimes be perceived as adding pressure rather than providing comfort.
Examples in context
- 「がんばってね。」Do your best.
- お仕事頑張ってね！Oshigoto ganbatte ne!Have a good day at work!
- 今日も一日、お仕事頑張ってね。Kyou mo ichinichi, oshigoto ganbatte ne.Have a good day at work today too.
- 無理しないで、お仕事頑張ってね。Muri shinaide, oshigoto ganbatte ne.Don't overdo it, and have a good day at work.
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are saying goodbye at their apartment before leaving for their morning commutes.
- 健太 Kenta美咲、お仕事頑張ってね。Misaki, oshigoto ganbatte ne.Misaki, have a good day at work.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、健太さんもね。Arigatou, Kenta-san mo ne.Thank you, you too, Kenta.
- 健太 Kenta行ってきます！Ittekimasu!I'm off!
- 美咲 Misakiいってらっしゃい！Itterasshai!See you later!
