みる (miru)

Meaning & usage

Adding みる after the te-form of a verb expresses doing something to test it out and see what happens, as in 食べてみる or 着てみる. The main verb appears in its te-form while みる carries the tense and politeness, such as みます, みた, or みない. It is common in everyday conversation for suggestions, requests for permission, and new experiences, and it implies sampling an action rather than making a difficult effort.

Example sentences 4

1. 試ためしに料理りょうりをしてみようかな。

   I'll try my hand at cooking.

2. すみません、この服を着てみてもいいですか？

   Excuse me, may I try this on?

3. どんな話だったか、大まかに説明してみてよ。

   Try to explain roughly what the talk was about.

4. 家に帰る前にそれやってみるよ。

   I'll try to do that before I go home.