What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the te-form of the verb yaru (to do) and the auxiliary verb miru (to see/try), literally meaning "try doing".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やってみる is the standard form. For a more casual or friendly tone, you can say やってみるよ, where the particle yo adds a sense of conversational certainty or reassurance. To make the phrase polite and suitable for use with strangers or superiors, use やってみます. In formal contexts, if you want to express determination or effort, 頑張ります is more appropriate or you might use 様々な方法を試します to express the idea of trying various methods or exploring different options. In informal settings, you can use がんばってみる to mean "I will give it a try" or "I will do my best and see how it goes" or simply 頑張るよ to mean "I will try my best".
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding masu to the end of the phrase results in やってみます, which is the polite form of the expression.
How do you pronounce it?
yatte miru
Did you know?
- In anime and manga, characters often shout やってやる to express a fierce determination to win. While related to yaru, this is a different grammatical construction that means 'I will definitely do this'.
- If a Japanese person responds to a request with やってみます but follows it with a hesitant tone, it is often a polite way of saying they are unlikely to succeed.
- In Japanese culture, saying やってみます to a superior can sometimes be interpreted as a lack of confidence, as it suggests you are only testing the waters rather than committing to success.
Examples in context
- やってみる。I will try.This example shows the basic form やってみる.Tatoeba #1503523 by bunbuku, translation #415514 by blay_paul
- もう一度やってみる。I will try again.Tatoeba #3583355 by arnab, translation #1089411 by Maltherion
- できるだけ頑張ってやってみるよ。I will try as hard as I can.This example uses やってみる to express trying as hard as possible.Tatoeba #12508384 by bunbuku, translation #255063 by CK
- 様々な方法を試しますので、少々お待ちください。I will try various methods, so please wait a moment.
- この新しいスポーツ、がんばってみるよ。I will give this new sport a try.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a coffee shop, Misaki asks Hiroto if he can fix her phone.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔、これ直せるかな？Hiroto, kore naoseru kana?Hiroto, do you think you can fix this?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、やってみるよ。Un, yatte miru yo.Yeah, I will try.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？助かる！Honto? Tasukaru!Really? That helps a lot!
- 大翔 Hirotoダメだったらごめんね。Dame dattara gomen ne.Sorry if it doesn't work.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
