テレビを見る
terebi o miru
To watch TV in Japanese is テレビを見る (terebi o miru).
The phrase means to look at a television screen to watch programs.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun terebi (television), the object marker o and the verb miru (to see/watch).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The dictionary form テレビを見る is used in casual conversation with friends and family. For a polite version, use テレビを見ます, which should be used when speaking to teachers, strangers or colleagues in a professional setting. There is also a formal way to say 'to watch TV' using テレビを視聴する.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are currently watching TV, use the continuous form テレビを見ています instead of the dictionary form.
How do you pronounce it?
terebi o miru
Did you know?
- While テレビ is a loanword, Japanese speakers often use the phrase テレビを付ける to mean 'turn on the TV' literally as 'attach the TV'.
- If you are watching TV for the first time to learn something, you might use 見る but for a focused study of a program, you might use 観る.
- In casual speech, the object marker を is often dropped entirely, making the phrase テレビ見る in spoken conversation.
Examples in context
- テレビを見るのは楽しいよ。It's fun to watch TV.This sentence is useful for expressing that watching TV is fun with テレビを見る.Tatoeba #201947 by bunbuku, translation #39158 by CK
- 彼はテレビを見るのが好きだ。He likes to watch TV.This sentence is useful for saying someone likes to watch TV with テレビを見る.Tatoeba #111788 by bunbuku, translation #291890 by CK
- 私はテレビを見るのが好きだ。I like to watch TV.This sentence is useful for saying you like to watch TV with テレビを見る.Tatoeba #159397 by bunbuku, translation #255108 by CK
- 公共の場では、テレビを視聴することは控えてください。Please refrain from watching TV in public spaces.
- 日曜日はゆっくりして、テレビを観るのが好きです。I like to relax on Sundays and watch TV.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking in the living room.
- 健太 Kenta今からテレビを見る？Ima kara terebi o miru?Do you want to watch TV now?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、一緒に見よう。Un, issho ni miyō.Yeah, let's watch it together.
- 健太 Kenta何を見る？Nani o miru?What shall we watch?
- 陽葵 Himariニュースをテレビで見たいな。Nyūsu o terebi de mitai na.I want to watch the news on TV.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
