てみる | Grammar

Structure

[verb て-form] + みる

Description

てみる means "try ~ and see". It goes after the て-form of a verb: you do the action to find out what it is like, or whether it works. As a helper verb, みる is written in hiragana, not ×見る.

。

I tried Japanese food.

。

Please try the new app.

。

I'll ask the teacher and see.

てみる or ようとする

With てみる the action gets done, and the point is what you find out. ようとする is trying to do something that may not come off.

。

I tried opening the door.

The door opened; you looked to see what was there.

。

I tried to open the door.

It may not have opened.

If the action never happened, てみる is wrong.

× 六時に起きてみたけど、起きられなかった → 六時に起きようとしたけど、起きられなかった

Forms you meet most

みる changes like any る-verb. Three forms come up all the time: てみたい "want to try", てみて "try it", and てみたら "when I tried".

。

I'd like to go to Japan sometime.

、きごう！

Try this cake!

、。

I tried walking to the station, and it took twenty minutes.

Examples

。

May I try on these shoes?

。

Let's give it a try.

、。

I tried eating natto, but it wasn't tasty.

。

I'll try asking the teacher.

。

I tried writing a letter in Japanese.

、きごう！。

Try this cake! It's really delicious.

。

I'd like to try a new method.

。

Have you ever tried making it yourself?

、。

I tried walking to the station, and it took twenty minutes.

。

I want to try traveling alone.

、。

I tried calling him, but he didn't answer.

、。

If you think about it, what he says is also correct.

References

てみるBunpro
TemiruTofugu