見える・みえる (eru mieru)

Meaning & usage

見える is an intransitive verb meaning something is visible or comes into sight on its own, without deliberate effort to look. It follows the pattern Xが 見える, 見えた, 見えない, or 見えません, where X is the thing seen and takes が rather than を. It is neutral in register and often appears in negatives like 何も見えない to say nothing can be seen.

Example sentences 8

1. 遠方えんぽうに小ちいさな明あかりが見みえた。

   We saw a little light in the distance.

2. 青空以外何も見えなかった。

   Nothing was to be seen but the blue sky.

3. 木は一本も見えなかった。

   There was not a tree in sight.

4. その少年は通りの先の方で見えなくなった。

   The little boy disappeared down the road.

5. かつてはここからあの教会が見えたものだ。

   You used to be able to see the church from here.

6. 何も聞こえないし、見えないし。

   I can't hear or see anything.

7. 私は何も見えません。

   I don't see anything.

8. 見下ろすと、たくさんのビルが見えた。

   When we looked down, we saw many buildings.