見える
mieru[mʲie̞ɾɯ̟]
In Japanese, "I can see" is expressed as 見える (mieru).
見える is used to express that something is within one's sight or visible. It describes spontaneous perception, meaning you see something without necessarily making a conscious effort to look for it.
Which one should you use?
見える (mieru) describes the state of something being visible to the eyes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite form of 見える is 見えます. If you want to say you cannot see or that something is not visible, use the negative form 見えない.
How do you pronounce it?
mieru
Did you know?
- Japanese has a different word, 聞こえる, which functions exactly like 見える but for hearing. It describes the state of a sound reaching your ears spontaneously rather than the act of listening.
- In Japanese, there is a strict distinction between 見える and 見られる. The latter is used when you have the opportunity to see something, such as seeing a rare animal at a zoo.
- Because 見える describes a state of visibility, it is often used to talk about things that are 'obvious' or 'clear' in a metaphorical sense, rather than just physical sight.
Examples in context
- その本が見える。I can see that book.This sentence shows how to use 見える to say you can see a specific book.Tatoeba #5078435 by 999yudai, translation #5289463 by SnowyDoll
- ずっと遠くに船が見える。I can see a ship in the distance.This sentence uses 見える to describe seeing a ship in the distance.Tatoeba #214664 by bunbuku, translation #1212365 by CK
- うちの家から富士山が見えるんだよ。I can see Mt. Fuji from my house.This sentence uses 見える to say you can see Mt. Fuji from your house.Tatoeba #8613412 by bunbuku, translation #6349002 by CK
- 山の頂上から美しい景色を見ることができます。I can see the beautiful scenery from the mountain top.
- 明るい場所ではよく見えます。I can see well in bright places.
- これ、ちゃんと見れる？Can you see this properly?
- あの建物、見える？Can you see that building?
- ハッキリ見えますI can see clearly
- 遠くが見えますI can see at a distance
- 眼鏡をかければ見えますI can see with glasses
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are walking in a park at night.
- 美咲 Misaki何か小さく光るものが見える？Nanika chiisaku hikaru mono ga mieru?Can you see something small and shining?
- 健太 Kentaうん、あそこに見えるよ。Un, asoko ni mieru yo.Yeah, I can see it over there.
- 美咲 Misakiあれは星かな？Are wa hoshi kana?I wonder if that is a star.
- 健太 Kentaとても綺麗に見えるね。Totemo kirei ni mieru ne.It looks very beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 見える, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
