N4 Intentions & Plans

~てみる: meaning, usage and examples

~てみる means: try to do.

Updated · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

How to form it

＜Verb て-form＞ + みる

Examples

  1. 新あたらしいレストランに行いってみましょう。

    Let's try going to a new restaurant.

  2. この問題もんだいを解といてみてください。

    Please try solving this problem.

  3. この靴くつ、はいてみてもいいですか。

    May I try these shoes on?

  4. 初はじめて納豆なっとうを食たべてみました。

    I tried natto for the first time.

When to use it

Try doing something to see what happens: 'try doing X'.

Nuance

〜てみる implies the action is experimental or tentative. The result is unknown.

Compare

〜てみた (tried and got a result). 〜ようとする (attempt but not necessarily complete).

Tip: Very common: やってみて (give it a try!). Encourages someone to try without pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

What does ~てみる mean?

Try to do. Example: 新あたらしいレストランに行いってみましょう。 (Let's try going to a new restaurant.)

How do you form ~てみる?

＜Verb て-form＞ + みる. Very common: やってみて (give it a try!). Encourages someone to try without pressure.