Ja, haite-mimasu. (OK, I’ll try on them and see how they look.)
Situation 1: Mr. Tian is browsing in a shoe store.
店員: よかったら、お試しください。
ティエン: そうですか。じゃ、はいてみます。
Ten’in: Yokattara, o-tameshi-kudasai.
Tian: Ja, haite-mimasu.
Store clerk: Please try these on if you like.
Tian: OK, I’ll try them on.
Today, we will introduce the proper use of the pattern X (= verb in te-form) + みる, which is used when the speaker sees an outcome by doing X or what something is like by doing X. The meaning of X (= verb in te-form) + みる is often misunderstood as “try to X,” but X (= verb in te-form) + みる is used only when the speaker does X to see the result. X (= verb in te-form) + みる is mainly used when the subject is the speaker. Example: ほかのお店(みせ)を見(み)てみます (I’d like to look at some other stores).
Situation 2: Ms. Gray brings a dish that she cooked to a party.
グレイ: これ、私が作ったの。よかったら、食べてみて。
山下: わあ、おいしそう。
Gray: Kore, watashi-ga tsukutta-no. Yokattara tabete-mite.
Yamashita: Waa, oishisō.
Gray: I cooked this. Try it if you like.
Yamashita: Oh, it looks good!
X (= verb in te-form) + みる is usually used in various patterns, such as in X (= verb in te-form) + みて(ください) (please do X and see how it is); X (= verb in te-form) +みたい(I want to do X and see how it is); X (= verb in te-form) + みてもいいですか (may I do X and see how it is?); X (= verb in te-form) + みたほうがいい (it will be better for you to do X to see how it is); and X (= verb in te-form) +みよう (let’s do X and see how it is). Example: 開(あ)いているかどうか、店(みせ)に電話(でんわ)してみよう (let’s call the restaurant and see if it’s open). X (= verb in te-form) +みたい or X (= verb in te-form) + みて(ください) shows the speaker’s reserved feeling more than X (= verb in pre-masu-form) + たい and X (= verb in te-form) + ください (please) respectively.
Situation 3: Mr. Sere talks to his colleague Mr. Mita.
セレ: 駅のそばに居酒屋ができたね。行ってみない?
三田: うん、いいね。行ってみよう。
Sere: Eki-no soba-ni izakaya-ga dekita-ne. Itte-minai?
Mita: Un, ii-ne. Itte-miyo.
Sere: A new izakaya opened near the station. Why don’t we go and check it out?
Mita: That’s good. Let’s go and see how it is.
Verb in te-form + みる is usually not used in negative form, but the pattern of te-form + みませんか/みない (why don’t we do X) is used as in Mr. Sere’s remark. Example: 元旦に神社に初詣に行ってみない? (Why don’t we visit a shrine on New Year‘s Day?)
Bonus Dialogue: Mr. and Mrs. Shiba are watching a travel program on TV.
妻(つま): あー、一度(いちど)、こういう温泉(おんせん)に泊(とま)まってみたいなあ。こういうすてきなお風呂(ふろ)に入(はい)ってみたい。
夫(おっと): うん。でも、一泊(いっぱく)いくらぐらいするのかな?
妻: ネットで調(しら)べてみるね。あ、お得(とく)なファミリープランは、それほど高(たか)くないみたい。ほら。
夫: そうだね。でも、評判(ひょうばん)をチェックしてみたほうがいいよ。テレビは宣伝(せんでん)のためかもしれないし。
妻: えーと、ネットの評価(ひょうか)はなかなかいいよ。ねえ、ねえ、行ってみない?
夫: そうか。じゃ、久(ひさ)しぶりに行ってみるか。
妻: ほんと? じゃ、まだ、部屋(へや)が空(あ)いているかどうか、調べてみる。あ、よかった、空いてた。じゃ、予約(よやく)するね。これでおわり。
夫: いつもは何(なん)でもゆっくりけど、こういうときだけは、すばやいんだな。
Wife: Oh, I want to stay a hot-spring resort like that one day. I’d like to soak in such a nice bath.
Husband: Yeah. But how much do they charge for a night?
Wife: I’ll check on the Internet. Oh, the discounted family plan doesn’t seem so expensive. Look at this.
Husband: Yeah. But, you should check its reputation. The TV program may be an advertisement.
Wife: The online reputation is quite good. Come on, please, why don’t we go there?
Husband: OK, it’s been awhile, so let’s go and see what it’s like.
Wife: Really?! Then, I’ll check on room availability. Oh, good! One room is available. I’ll book it. Finished!
Husband: You usually do everything so slowly, but for this kind of thing you’re so quick.
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