Learn Japanese with Anime - Without You, I Can’t Become The Pirate King (One Piece)

Analysis

お(お)前(まえ) (pronoun) means “you” in a casual and rough manner.

が (particle) marks the subject in a subordinate clause.

いねぇ (verb) means “not to exist” or “not to be”. It’s a contracted form of い(い)な(な)い(い), which is the negative form of い(い)る(る) (to exist, to be for animate beings).

と (conjunction particle) means “if” or “when”.

So, お(お)前(まえ)がいねぇと means “If you’re not present” or “If you’re not around”. In the anime, it translates to “Without you”.

俺(おれ) (pronoun) means “I” in a casual and masculine manner.

は (particle) marks the topic of the main clause.

海(かい)賊(ぞく)王(おう) (noun) means “Pirate King”. Each kanji represents “sea”, “thief”, and “king”.

に (particle) is used with the verb なる to mean “to become something”. In English, the verb “become” takes a direct object without a preposition, but in Japanese, the particle に is required to mark the target or goal of the change.

なれねぇ (verb) means “can’t become”. It’s a contracted form of な(な)れ(れ)な(な)い(い), which is the negative form of な(な)れ(れ)る(る) (can become).

So, お(お)前(まえ)がいねぇと俺(おれ)は海(かい)賊(ぞく)王(おう)になれねぇ means “Without you, I can’t become the Pirate King”.

The standard form is お(お)前(まえ)がいないと俺(おれ)は海(かい)賊(ぞく)王(おう)になれない, but in rough speech, ない is often contracted to ねぇ.

Also, in the manga, the small え is written in katakana instead of hiragana. This stylistic choice adds visual impact and emphasises an intense tone.