〜てみる: How to Say 'Try Doing Something' (Meaning + Examples)
What it means
〜てみる is how you say you do something to see what happens — you give it a try without knowing the result yet. It comes from the verb みる ("to see"), and that "see" feeling is still there: you act, and then see how it turns out.
Because of this, 〜てみる carries a light, exploratory tone: testing, sampling, giving something a shot. It does not mean you definitely want to (that's 〜たい) — only that you'll attempt it and see.
ヤッタンは新しいレストランに行ってみる。
ヤッタンは あたらしい レストランに いって みる。
Yattan will try going to the new restaurant.
モチ、このお茶を飲んでみて。
モチ、この おちゃを のんで みて。
Mochi, try drinking this tea.
〜てみて is the casual request form: 'try doing it.'
先生に聞いてみます。
せんせいに きいて みます。
I'll try asking the teacher.
How to form it
Take the て-form of the verb and attach みる. The みる is then conjugated like an ordinary る-verb (an ichidan verb), so all the usual endings apply to it:
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 〜てみる | 食べてみる (try eating) |
| Past | 〜てみた | 食べてみた (tried eating) |
| Negative | 〜てみない | 食べてみない (won't try eating) |
| Volitional | 〜てみよう | 食べてみよう (let's try eating) |
| Polite | 〜てみます | 食べてみます (will try eating) |
| Te-request | 〜てみて(ください) | 食べてみて (try eating it) |
The て-form itself follows the normal rules: 行く → 行ってみる, 飲む → 飲んでみる, する → してみる.
Write みる in kana
In this grammar, みる is written in hiragana — 食べてみる, not 食べて見る. The kanji 見る ("to look/see") is reserved for actually looking at something with your eyes. When みる is a helper verb meaning "try and see," keep it in kana. This is a small detail, but writing 食べて見る looks off to native readers.
ヤッタンは漢字で名前を書いてみた。
ヤッタンは かんじで なまえを かいて みた。
Yattan tried writing his name in kanji.
弟は一人で電車に乗ってみた。
おとうとは ひとりで でんしゃに のって みた。
Yattan's little brother tried taking the train by himself.
Suggesting and inviting with 〜てみよう
The volitional 〜てみよう ("let's try…") is great for suggestions — proposing you give something a go together:
新しいゲーム、やってみよう！
あたらしい ゲーム、やって みよう！
Let's try playing the new game!
モチと一緒に作ってみよう。
モチと いっしょに つくって みよう。
Let's try making it together with Mochi.
To politely ask someone else to try something, you'll often reach for 〜てみてください ("please try doing…").
〜てみる vs 〜たい
These both touch on "wanting / trying," so learners mix them up. They mean different things:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てみる | do it and see how it goes (try out) | 食べてみる = try eating it (and see) |
| 〜たい | want to do it (desire) | 食べたい = want to eat it |
| 〜てみたい | want to try doing it (the two combined) | 食べてみたい = want to try eating it |
Stack them and you get 〜てみたい — "want to try doing": 一度行ってみたい ("I want to try going there once").
Common mistakes
- Writing みる in kanji. As a helper verb it's kana: 食べてみる (✓), not 食べて見る (✗). Save 見る for literally looking.
- Forgetting the て-form rules. It attaches to the て-form, so 飲む → 飲んでみる and 行く → 行ってみる, not 飲みみる.
- Confusing it with 〜たい. 〜てみる = "try it and see"; 〜たい = "want to." "I want to try" combines them: 〜てみたい.
- Treating みる as fixed. It conjugates fully — てみた, てみない, てみよう — so use the form the sentence needs.
Quick recap
- 〜てみる = do something and see — try it out.
- Form it with the て-form + みる; write みる in kana.
- みる conjugates like a る-verb: てみた, てみない, てみよう, てみます.
- Want to try? Combine into 〜てみたい. Politely ask with 〜てみてください.
Your turn
Choose the correct 〜てみる form for each sentence.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
What does 〜てみる mean?
It means to do something and see how it goes — to try it out. 食べてみる is 'try eating it (and see),' 行ってみる is 'try going.' It comes from みる ('to see').
Is みる written 見る or みる here?
In this grammar it's written in kana: 食べてみる, not 食べて見る. The kanji 見る is only for literally looking at something.
How do I say 'let's try'?
Use the volitional 〜てみよう: やってみよう ('let's try doing it'). To politely ask someone to try, use 〜てみてください.
What's the difference between 〜てみる and 〜たい?
〜てみる is 'try it and see,' while 〜たい is 'want to do it.' Combine them for 〜てみたい, 'want to try doing.'