〜てみてください: 'Please Give It a Try' (Meaning + Examples)
What it means
〜てみる attaches the verb みる ("to see") to a verb's て-form to mean do the action and see what happens — in other words, try it out. You're not certain how it'll turn out, so you give it a go. Because みる here means "try" rather than literally "look," it's normally written in kana (みる), not 見る. Add ください to make the polite request 〜てみてください ("please try doing…"), a soft, encouraging suggestion.
ヤッタンは納豆を食べてみる。
ヤッタンは なっとうを たべて みる。
Yattan will try eating natto (to see what it's like).
新しいカフェに行ってみたい。
あたらしい カフェに いって みたい。
I want to try going to the new cafe.
〜てみたい = want to try doing.
この本を読んでみてください。
この ほんを よんで みて ください。
Please give this book a read (try reading it).
How to form it
Take the verb's て-form, then add みる (or みてください for the polite request). みる itself conjugates exactly like a る-verb:
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Plain ("try doing") | て-form + みる | 食べてみる (try eating) |
| Past ("tried doing") | て-form + みた | 食べてみた (tried eating) |
| Negative | て-form + みない | 食べてみない (won't try) |
| Want to ("want to try") | て-form + みたい | 行ってみたい (want to try going) |
| Polite request | て-form + みてください | やってみてください (please try) |
| Casual request | て-form + みて | やってみて (give it a try) |
Notice the て-form itself follows the normal rules: 行く → 行ってみる, 読む → 読んでみる (with だくおん て → で after む/ぶ/ぐ verbs).
〜てみてください — please give it a try
This is the everyday way to gently invite someone to attempt something. It's softer and warmer than a plain order, so it's common in lessons, recipes, and recommendations:
先生「もう一度やってみてください。」
せんせい「もう いちど やって みて ください。」
The teacher says, 'Please try doing it one more time.'
モチ、この店のラーメンを食べてみてください。
モチ、この みせの ラーメンを たべて みて ください。
Mochi, please try the ramen at this shop.
Casually, drop ください and just use 〜てみて:
ヤッタン、これ、聞いてみて。
ヤッタン、これ、きいて みて。
Yattan, give this a listen.
Casual 〜てみて — to a close friend.
〜てみた — I tried it (and here's how it went)
Put みる in the past (みた) to report that you tried something. Often the result follows:
ヤッタンの弟は一人で漢字を書いてみた。
ヤッタンの おとうとは ひとりで かんじを かいて みた。
Yattan's little brother tried writing kanji by himself.
その薬を飲んでみたけど、よくならなかった。
その くすりを のんで みたけど、よく ならなかった。
I tried taking that medicine, but it didn't get better.
〜てみたけど reports the attempt and what came of it.
Common mistakes
- Writing みる as 見る here. When it means "try," keep it in kana: 食べてみる, not 食べて見る. (Literal "watch and check" can use 見る, but the "try" nuance is kana.)
- Forgetting the て-form changes. It's 読んでみる (not 読んてみる) and 行ってみる — みる just attaches to whatever て-form the verb takes.
- Conjugating みる wrong. みる is a る-verb: past みた, negative みない, て-form みて. So "tried eating" is 食べてみた, not 食べてみました using the wrong stem.
- Treating 〜てみてください like a strict order. It's a soft suggestion to attempt something. For a plain "please do," use 〜てください without みて.
Quick recap
- 〜てみる = do something and see — try it out: やってみる.
- Form: verb て-form + みる; みる conjugates as a る-verb (みた, みて, みない).
- 〜てみてください = a friendly "please give it a try"; casual is 〜てみて.
- 〜てみた = tried it (often with the result); 〜てみたい = want to try.
Your turn
Choose the correct 〜てみる / 〜てみてください form.
Start the 5-question drill →Take the full N5 〜てみてください drill →
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜てみる literally mean?
It combines a verb's て-form with みる ('see'), giving the sense 'do it and see how it goes' — that is, try it out. 食べてみる = 'try eating (to see what it's like).'
Should I write みる as 見る in 〜てみる?
No. When it means 'try,' keep it in kana: 食べてみる, 行ってみてください. The kanji 見る is reserved for the literal 'look/watch' meaning.
How is 〜てみてください different from 〜てください?
〜てください is a plain 'please do it.' 〜てみてください adds the 'give it a try' nuance — a softer, encouraging suggestion to attempt something, common in lessons and recommendations.
How do I say 'I tried it' in the past?
Put みる into the past: 〜てみた. 食べてみた = 'I tried eating it.' You can add a result with けど: 飲んでみたけど、だめだった ('I tried it, but it was no good').