てみる (te miru) – Meaning & Usage

てみる means try doing. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express this idea in natural Japanese.

This English meaning is written independently from the source list so it answers the learner question directly: what does てみる mean and when should you use it?

What does てみる mean?

Use てみる when you want to express try doing in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

try doing
to express “try doing” naturally
the closest natural English meaning in context

How to form てみる

Verb て-form + みる

Examples of the pattern:

Verb て-form + みる
てみる
related form: ようとする

When is てみる used?

Use てみる in situations like:

reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
recognizing natural grammar in conversation or short passages

Tone and register:

usually neutral unless the pattern itself is casual, humble, honorific, or written
common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday examples

てみる example sentences

この料理(りょうり)を食(た)べてみます。

I will try eating this dish.

polite positive

新(あたら)しいアプリを使(つか)ってみました。

I tried using the new app.

past polite

先生(せんせい)に聞(き)いてみてください。

Please try asking the teacher.

request te-form

一度(いちど)日本語(にほんご)で話(はな)してみたいです。

I want to try speaking in Japanese once.

desire polite

この問題(もんだい)を自分(じぶん)で解(と)いてみます。

I will try solving this problem myself.

polite positive

Nuance of てみる

The key nuance is try doing in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.

This matters because てみる often changes the relationship between actions, people, time, or evidence in the sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.

てみる vs ようとする

Both patterns can appear in related sentences, but they do different jobs.

てみる

try doing

The target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson.

この料理(りょうり)を食(た)べてみます。

I will try eating this dish.

ようとする

Learners often confuse nearby forms; this pattern may change the tone, evidence, direction, or relationship in the sentence.

Common mistakes with てみる

❌

Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context.

✅

Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation for てみる.

❌

Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form.

✅

Attach てみる only to the verb て-form.

❌

Confusing てみる with ようとする because the English can sound similar.

✅

Keep the two patterns separate: てみる focuses on try doing, while ようとする carries a different nuance.

Is てみる on the JLPT?

Yes. てみる is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

Recognize it in reading
Understand its nuance in context
Use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for てみる

1 Write one short sentence using the basic structure. production

2 Replace the subject, time, or object and keep the same grammar point. variation

3 Compare your sentence with the related pattern above. comparison

Learning path for てみる

Review the main て-form action first, then ask what the auxiliary adds: preparation, trial, completion, regret, movement, continuation, or a change over time. Build short verb chains before using longer sentences.

Make one short sentence with てみる, then compare it with てくる.

Add ておく or てしまう to see how the nuance changes.

Write one sentence that uses てみる in its most literal meaning, one sentence that changes the subject or time expression, and one sentence that contrasts it with one of the related patterns below.

てくる — come to; do and come back.
ておく — do in advance; leave done.
てしまう — completion and regret.
てしまう / ちゃう — finish completely; do accidentally.

Learn てみる with Hane

If you want to review てみる together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

FAQ about てみる

What does てみる (te miru) mean in Japanese?

てみる (te miru) means “try doing”. It is JLPT N4 grammar. Use てみる when you want to express try doing in a Japanese sentence.

How do you form てみる (te miru)?