I think my Japanese girlfriend is the most hardworking person I’ve ever met.
She has to juggle between her studies and part-time job and only sleeps at 2am every night.
We don’t even spend much time together. With her exams coming up soon, she sometimes stays awake the whole night.
As a result, she falls sick very often. I’m afraid that this will take a toll on her health in the long run.
I want to tell her she doesn’t have to work so hard. How do I say it in Japanese?
Answer by Japanese teacher
(1) そんなにがんばらなくていいんだよ。
Sonna ni ganbaranakute iin da yo.
You don’t have to work so hard.
Explanation
We often encourage our friends to “がんばって ganbatte” (please work hard, please keep it up) but not at the expense of our health. If you notice that your friends are working too hard, you can use this expression to encourage them to take a breather.
