Textbooks teach あなた, but people rarely say “you” at all: they use the name. When they do, close male friends often say お前, and てめえ is a fighting word. In comedy the straight man’s お前 is part of the rhythm: お前何やってんだよ.
Rough. Said only to equals or people below you, never upward. Between close male friends it can be warm; from a learner it usually sounds rude. Never to a boss.
The performers come out, greet the crowd, and ask the audience to help liven up the show.
Hey, you do your part too!
Textbookあなたも頑張ってください。Blunt "お前" replaces "あなた", and the plain imperative "頑張れ" replaces polite "頑張ってください". Fine between comedy partners, rude to strangers.
A 33-year-old performer objects to being called "cute" by the other.
And anyway, aren't you the cute one?
Textbookそもそも、あなたのほうがかわいくないですか。Rough "お前" replaces "あなた" for "you"; "かわいくない" also roughens to "かわいくねえ" ("ai" → "ee").
One performer keeps grinning and saying things are funny, and edges closer to the annoyed partner.
Don't come any closer, you.
Textbookあなた、近づいてこないでください。Rough 「お前」 replaces 「あなた」, tacked on at the end for irritated emphasis. Used toward equals or people treated as inferiors.
Two performers tease each other about their crotches, and one says the other's is so small that their wife calls it 'Snack Stick'.
Culture note Karupasu is a small, thin dried-sausage snack sold cheaply in Japan.
You just can't take it when it's said to you.
Textbookあなたは、自分が言われるのは駄目なんですよ。Blunt 'お前' replaces 'あなた'. Also '言われるのは' → '言われんのは' (る→ん), and 'なんですよ' → casual 'なんだわ' (sentence-final 'わ' here is a blunt, assertive ending like 'よ').
Someone decides to take a first step forward and tells a 'person in white' that they are following that person's advice to get moving.
But you're the guy who never moves!
Textbookあなたは動かない人じゃないですか。Polite 'あなた' is replaced by blunt 'お前', further slurred to 'おめー' ('ai' → 'ee'). Very rough; avoid with strangers.
Two people argue about a plan that would force one of them to move to the Philippines, which that person hates.
As of today, you're Filipino!
Textbook今日からあなたはもうフィリピン人です。Blunt, familiar "お前" replaces "あなた", and plain "だ" replaces "です"—a bossy decree.
From other routines in the library. Automatic transcripts, not yet checked line by line.
お前 means “you” (rough). Textbooks teach あなた, but people rarely say “you” at all: they use the name. When they do, close male friends often say お前, and てめえ is a fighting word. In comedy the straight man’s お前 is part of the rhythm: お前何やってんだよ.
With friends: careful. With coworkers: avoid. With a boss or teacher: avoid. Rough. Said only to equals or people below you, never upward. Between close male friends it can be warm; from a learner it usually sounds rude. Never to a boss.
In 1,905 live comedy routines, お前 appears in 6,652 lines from 235 comedians, and the textbook あなた in 896 lines.