JLPT N4Everyday

てみるtry doing; do it and see

You do something to find out what it is like or what will happen: taste a soup, try shoes on, take a new way home. Word for word, "do it and see".

このスープ、少すこし飲のんでみる。

I'll try a little of this soup.

新あたらしい翻ほん訳やくアプリを使つかってみました。

I tried using a new translation app.

この帽ぼう子し、一いち度どかぶってみませんか。

Would you like to try this hat on?

How to form it

Verb in the て-form + みる

みる changes like any ichidan verb (る-verb): みます, みた, みたい, みよう, みて. It is usually written in hiragana.

Trying something out

You really do it. What you don't know yet is how it will turn out.

サイズが合あうか、この靴くつを履はいてみます。

I'll try these shoes on to see whether they fit.

別べつの道みちを歩あるいてみよう。

Let's try taking a different route.

この本ほん、読よんでみない？

Want to give this book a try?

さっき電でん話わしてみたが、誰だれも出でなかった。

I tried calling a little while ago, but nobody answered.

You did call. Nobody picked up.

てみたら leads to what you found out: "when I tried it, …".

初はじめて納なっ豆とうを食たべてみたら、おいしかったです。

I tried natto for the first time, and it was good.

Things you'll say with it

着きてみるtry on

これ、着きてみてもいいですか。

May I try this on?

In a shop. Shoes and pants take 履はいてみる, a hat かぶってみる.

食たべてみるtry, taste

これ、おいしいよ。食たべてみて。

This is good. Try some.

行いってみたいwould like to go and see

一いち度ど、北ほっ海かい道どうに行いってみたいです。

I'd like to go to Hokkaido one day.

てみたい is for something you are curious about, usually because you have never done it.

やってみるgive it a try

難むずかしそうですが、やってみます。

It looks hard, but I'll give it a go.

聞きいてみるask and see

分わからなければ、店てん員いんに聞きいてみてください。

If you're not sure, try asking one of the staff.

Where English doesn't say "try"

Japanese says てみる far more often than English says "try". 聞きいてみます is simply "I'll ask", and 調しらべてみます is "I'll look into it". The みる adds "and we'll see": you will do it, but you can't promise what comes of it.

ネットで調しらべてみます。

I'll look it up online.

駅えき前まえの新あたらしいパン屋やに行いってみました。

I went to have a look at the new bakery by the station.

"Try doing", not "try to do"

English "try to" often means you may not manage it: you tried to open the door, and it was stuck. That is ようとする, not てみる.

ドアを開あけてみた。

I tried opening the door.

You opened it, to see what was there.

ドアを開あけようとした。

I tried to open the door.

You made the attempt. It may not have opened.

Close neighbours

（よ）うとするN3

"Try to": an attempt that may fail.

起おきようとしましたが、起おきられませんでした。

I tried to get up, but I couldn't.

ようにするN4

"Try to" meaning you make a point of it, this once or as a habit.

毎まい日にち、野や菜さいを食たべるようにしています。

I try to eat vegetables every day.

たことがあるN5

"Have you ever tried…?" asks about experience, and that is たことがある.

日本にほんのお酒さけを飲のんだことがありますか。

Have you ever had Japanese sake?

Check yourself

1In a shop, you want to try some shoes on. Which one fits?

この靴くつ、（　　）もいいですか。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

薬くすりを飲のんでみましたが、熱ねつは下さがりませんでした。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

見みてみる

見みてみる is fine, and common: "have a look". The first 見みる is the looking; the second is the helper.

ちょっと見みてみます。

I'll have a look.

A saying

やってみないと分わかりません。

You won't know until you try.

More sentences

この料りょう理りにレモンをかけてみる。

I'll try adding lemon to this dish.

次つぎは窓まどを開あけてみよう。

Next, let's try opening the window.

音おとが小ちいさいので、スピーカーの位い置ちを変かえてみました。

The sound was quiet, so I tried changing the speaker's position.

設せっ定ていを変かえてみたが、問もん題だいは解かい決けつしなかった。

I tried changing the settings, but that didn't fix the problem.

忙いそがしくて、新あたらしい機き能のうはまだ使つかってみていません。

I've been busy, so I haven't tried the new feature yet.

怖こわくて、結けっ局きょくその洞どう窟くつには入はいってみなかった。

I was scared, so in the end I didn't try going into the cave.