Try doing something to see (〜てみる)
Attach みる to the て-form of a verb to express trying an action out of curiosity or to see what happens, like tasting a new dish or trying on shoes.
Trying an Action as an Experiment (〜てみる)
kono kutsushita o haite mimasu
I will try putting on these socks (to see how they fit).
〜てみる (Try & See What Happens) vs 〜ようとする (Attempt / Struggle to Do)
Micro-Shift納豆を 初めて 食べてみます。
Light exploratory trial to experience the outcomeI will try eating natto for the first time (to see what it's like).
〜てみる derives from 見る (to see); it means taking a test drive to evaluate an experience.
Example Sentences
Let's go eat sushi!
How it works
〜てみる expresses trying something out experimentally: 寿司を食べてみます (I will try eating sushi to see how it tastes).
I will try putting on these socks.
The Sensory Root: Doing an Action to See What Happens
The auxiliary verb みる (to try) originates directly from the verb for seeing: 見る (to see / look). When hooked onto the て-form of another verb, it carries a vivid visual metaphor: “Perform the action, and then open your eyes to see the outcome!”
- 食べてみる: “Eat it and see how it tastes” → “try eating / sample food”
- 着てみる: “Put it on and see how it fits” → “try on clothes”
- 行ってみる: “Go there and see what it's like” → “check it out / go see”
- 聞いてみる: “Ask and see what they say” → “ask around / check with someone”
Always Written in Hiragana as an Auxiliary
When みる is used for literal physical sight with your eyes, write it in kanji: 映画を見る (“watch a movie”).
When used as a grammatical helper meaning “to try out,” Japanese orthography convention dictates writing it strictly in hiragana:
• Correct: 飲んでみる (sample a drink)
• Clunky/unnatural: *飲んで見る
Experimenting vs Striving: 〜てみる vs 〜ようとする
In English, the word “try” covers both casual experimentation and grueling effort. In Japanese, these are completely different concepts:
- Casual experiment / low stakes (〜てみる): Doing something out of curiosity to discover the result:
- 新しいゲームをやってみます: “I'll try playing this new game.” (Lighthearted, zero stress).
- Striving against resistance / high stakes (〜ようとする): Straining hard to achieve a difficult task:
- 山に登ろうとした: “He attempted to climb the mountain.” (Focuses on exertion).
Versatile Conjugation as an Ichidan Verb
Because みる is a standard Group 2 (Ichidan) verb, it inflects effortlessly through all standard forms: • Polite statement: 日本のラーメンを食べてみます (I will try Japanese ramen) • Past experiment: 一度、納豆を食べてみました (I tried eating natto once) • Desire to try (〜てみたい): 富士山に登ってみたいです (I want to try climbing Mt. Fuji!) • Friendly nudge: やってみて！ (Give it a shot!)
Conjugation
| Base form | Conjugated | Form |
|---|---|---|
| 履く | 履いてみます | put on → try putting on |
| 食べる | 食べてみます | eat → taste / try eating |
| 飲む | 飲んでみます | drink → try drinking |
| 見る | 見てみます | look → take a look |
In Dialogue
- Clerk
サイズはいかがですか？あちらで試着してみますか？
How is the size? Would you like to try it on over there?
Hanaはい、一度着てみます！ありがとうございます。
Yes, I will try it on once! Thank you.
Quick Check
Select the correct sentence to politely say: ‘I want to try eating Japanese ramen.’