Japanese Verbs Fifteen

In this Japanese Verbs Fifteen of our Learn Japanese series, we will look at how to express the idea of "try to..." in the context of "to make an effort to do something" or "see if I can ..."

For this we can use the construction ...te miru.


Again use the "...tte" form with this constrution.

For example, if you wanted to say, "I will try reading this kanji"

To read = yomu.

This becomes: yonde.

Now add "miru" :

  yonde mimasu.


Plain Form    "te" form       +tte miru              Kanji/Kana

Kuru              kite           kite miru                  来てみる

Suru             shite         shite miru                  してみる

Verbs that end in "ru:"

Miru              mite          mite miru                 見てみる

Taberu          tabete       tabete miru               食べてみる

Verbs that end in "u:"

Matsu           matte        matte miru                待ってみる

Yomu           yonde         yonde miru               読んでみる

Modoru        modotte      modotte miru            戻ってみる

After the word list are a few examples:

Chinese character(s) = 漢字 = かんじ　new = 新しい　= あたらしい　

computer = パソコン　to use = 使う　= つかう　natto(fermented soybeans)納豆　= なっとう

I'll try to read these kanji.　

   この漢字を読んでみます。

Let's give this new PC a try.

   この新しいパソコンを使ってみましょう。

Won't you try some natto?　

   納豆を食べてみませんか。


Let's look at the "…te" form, plus oku

This means "will certainly do (verb)/will go ahead and do that (verb)."

It's used for things that can be done in a relatively short time.

Don't use it in the negative.

After the word list are a few examples:

window = 窓　= まど　to open = 開ける　= あける　bicycle = 自転車　= じてんしゃ

I'll call Kana.  (means very soon)

　カナに電話しておきます。 

I opened the window.　(means a short time ago)

   窓を開けておきました。

I'm going to buy a bicycle.  (means very soon)

　自転車を買っておきます。


Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

in any case = とにかく　ticket= 切符　= きっ ぷ　only = だけのこと  

park = 公園　= こうえん　escalator = エスカレータ　to go up = 登る　= のぼる

used for emphasis = よ　comic = 漫画　まんが　

interesting = 面白かった　= おもしろいbecomes おもしろかった　

to take care = 気をつける　= きをつける　so as to = ように　

room = 部屋　= へや　to clean = 掃除する　= そうじする　door = ドア　

to open = 開く　= あく　whether or not = かどうか　to try = 試す　= ためす　

to lock = 鍵がかかる　= かぎがかかる　washing machine = 洗濯儀　= せんたくぎ

absence =　留守　= るす

Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.

1. I'll try to talk to kana.

2. We can but try to buy a ticket.

3. Let's try going to the park.　

4. There is an escalator here. Should we try going up?　

5. This comic was good. Do you want to try reading it?　

6. I'll tell him to be careful.　

7. I (went ahead) and cleaned my room.　

8.  (to see whether it was open) I tried the door and it wasn’t locked.　

9. She tried (using) the new washing machine.　

10. I tried calling Jill, but she wasn't in.　


Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Fifteen is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

  1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 10 Japanese phrases.
  2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
  3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.

Back to the Japanese words page