お前(まえ)

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Rough and familiar. Used mainly by men to close friends, family, younger people, or subordinates; some couples use it affectionately. To a stranger or a superior it is rude, and said in anger it is aggressive.

Similar words

• 君(きみ): you — informal but softer, to equals or juniors
• あなた: you — neutral, but still avoided toward superiors
• あんた: a casual contraction of あなた
• 貴様(きさま), てめえ: hostile and insulting

Watch out

Any 'you' pronoun is more marked in Japanese than in English. Most speakers address people by name or title instead, so avoid お前(まえ) unless you hear it used among your friends.