やってみろ
yattemiro
The English phrase "I dare you" is expressed in Japanese as やってみろ (yattemiro).
A challenge used to provoke someone to do something they are afraid or hesitant to do.
Which one should you use?
While やってみろ is a provocative dare, the phrase やってみてください is a polite request to try something, lacking the confrontational nuance of a dare. Additionally, 挑戦してみろよ！ means Go on, take the challenge!
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase やってみろ uses the imperative form, making it sound confrontational, aggressive or highly informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle 'yo' to the end of 'yattemiro' can add a sense of provocation or emphasis to the dare.
How do you pronounce it?
yattemiro
Did you know?
- The phrase やってみろ is a contraction of やって見ろ, where the verb 見る meaning 'to see' is used to indicate trying something out to see what happens.
- While English speakers use 'I dare you' as a way to tease, using やってみろ in a real-life Japanese social setting can be perceived as a genuine physical or verbal threat. It carries a weight of aggression that 'I dare you' sometimes lacks in casual English.
- The phrase is built upon the verb やる, which can mean 'to do' but also carries a rough, gritty connotation when used in the imperative. This makes the dare sound much more 'street' or unrefined than using the more standard verb する.
Examples in context
- 怖くないなら、やってみろ。kowakunai nara, yatte miro.If you're not afraid, I dare you to do it.
- できるものなら、やってみろ。dekiru mono nara, yatte miro.I dare you, if you think you can do it.
- 口先だけじゃないなら、やってみろ。kuchisaki dake janai nara, yatte miro.If you're not just talking, I dare you to try.
Example conversation
Two friends are arguing about a video game challenge.
- 健太 Kentaそんなに自信があるなら、やってみろよ。sonna ni jishin ga aru nara, yatte miro yo.If you're so confident, I dare you.
- 美咲 Misaki健太、そんなに簡単に言わないで。Kenta, sonna ni kantan ni iwanaide.Kenta, don't say it so easily.
- 健太 Kenta逃げるのか？やってみろって言ったんだ。nigeru no ka? yatte miro tte itta n da.Are you running away? I said, I dare you.
- 美咲 Misakiわかったわ、受けて立つわ！wakatta wa, ukete tatsu wa!Fine, challenge accepted!
