見せて
misete
The Japanese phrase for 'show me' is 見せて (misete).
This phrase is used to request that someone lets you look at something.
Which one should you use?
見せて is the standard casual form. Adding the particle よ to the end, forming 見せてよ, adds emphasis or a sense of gentle pleading, similar to saying 'come on, show me'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
見せて is an informal way to say 'show me' and is used with friends, family or people of lower status. For a more polite request suitable for strangers or superiors, you can add ください to the end to say 見せてください. If you wish to convey a much higher level of politeness and respect, you can use the phrase 示してくださると嬉しいです, which translates to 'I would be delighted if you could show me'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding ください to 見せて makes the request polite. Adding the particle よ to the end of 見せて adds emphasis or a gentle pleading tone.
How do you pronounce it?
misete
Did you know?
- While 見せて is used for showing physical objects, if you want someone to show you a way or a method, you would use the verb 教える, which literally means 'to teach'.
- When using the polite form 見せてください, it is common to use a downward tilt of the head or a slight bow to soften the request, as a direct verbal request can sometimes feel too demanding.
- Using 見せて with the particle よ can shift the tone from a simple request to a childish whine, depending on the pitch and length of the vowel.
Examples in context
- 写真見せて。Show me the photo.This sentence is useful for practicing the request with the word 見せて.Tatoeba #2231002 by tommy_san, translation #1553001 by CK
- 手を見せて。Show me your hands.Tatoeba #8764392 by small_snow, translation #2517909 by Hybrid
- それを見せてよ。Show me that.Tatoeba #204605 by small_snow, translation #2454235 by CK
- この商品を見せてください。Could you please show me this item?
- この方向を示してくださると嬉しいです。I would be delighted if you could show me this direction.
- この本を見せて。Show me this book.
- あの写真を見せてよ。Show me that photo, please.
- 107 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, Yui wants to see Yota's notebook.
- 結衣 Yui陽太、そのノート見せて。Yota, sono nooto misete.Yota, show me that notebook.
- 陽太 Yotaいいよ。これね。Ii yo. Kore ne.Sure. This one.
- 結衣 Yuiわあ、すごく綺麗だね。Waa, sugoku kirei da ne.Wow, it's really beautiful.
- 陽太 Yota結衣も書いてみる？Yui mo kaite miru?Do you want to try writing too, Yui?
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
