How do you say “try” in Japanese? It depends on what you are trying! Trying on a jacket, tasting a food sample, and giving a new activity a go use different expressions. The good news: a few useful patterns will cover many everyday situations.
In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn 〜てみる, 試す, and practical words such as 試着, 試食, and 試飲. You’ll also find polite phrases you can use in Japanese shops.
Level: JLPT N5–N4 learners. The explanations and example sentences are designed for beginners. Some shopping words are useful extra vocabulary beyond the core beginner syllabus.
Reading tip: Use the Furigana switch above to turn the readings over kanji on or off.
Ways to Say “Try” in Japanese at a Glance
| Expression | Reading | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てみる | te miru | Try doing something to see what it is like |
| 試す | tamesu | Test or try something out |
| 試着する | shichaku suru | Try on clothes |
| 試食する | shishoku suru | Taste or sample food |
| 試飲する | shiin suru | Taste or sample a drink |
1. 〜てみる: Try Doing Something
For a new experience, use the te-form of a verb + みる. This means doing something to find out what happens or what it is like. It works with eating, drinking, wearing, using, going, and many other actions.
For example, 食べる (“eat”) becomes 食べてみる (“try eating”). The polite form is 食べてみます. Here, みる is normally written in hiragana; it does not literally mean “look.”
このケーキを食べてみます。
→ I’ll try this cake.
日本語で話してみます。
→ I’ll try speaking Japanese.
このシャツを着てみたいです。
→ I want to try on this shirt.
Change みる to change the meaning: 〜てみます means “I’ll try…”; 〜てみたいです means “I want to try…”; 〜てみました means “I tried…”; and 〜てみてください means “Please try…”.
Remember that some te-forms end in で. For example, 飲む becomes 飲んで, so “try drinking” is 飲んでみる.
2. 試す: Test or Try Something Out
試す focuses on testing something: a product, a method, an idea, or how well something works. A useful pattern is noun + を + 試す. Its polite form is 試します.
このアプリを試します。
→ I’ll try out this app.
新しい方法を試しました。
→ I tried a new method.
You will often hear 試してみる, which combines this verb with 〜てみる. It is natural Japanese and means “give it a try” or “try it out.”
このアプリを試してみてください。
→ Please give this app a try.
Compare 使ってみる (“try using it”) with 試す (“test it out”). The first names the action; the second emphasizes testing. Both can work for an app or a tool.
3. 試着: Try On Clothes
試着 means trying on clothes to check the fit, style, or comfort. Add する to make a verb: 試着する. The polite form is 試着します.
このジャケットを試着してもいいですか。
→ May I try on this jacket?
このシャツを試着したいです。
→ I’d like to try on this shirt.
A very useful shop sign is 試着室, meaning “fitting room.” When you need to find it, ask:
試着室はどこですか。
→ Where is the fitting room?
You can also use an everyday clothing verb with 〜てみる. For shirts and jackets, use 着てみる. For shoes and trousers, use はいてみる.
この靴をはいてみてもいいですか。
→ May I try on these shoes?
4. 試食: Taste or Sample Food
試食 means tasting food to see what it is like. You may see it at supermarket sample stands, food shops, or tasting events. Add する for the verb: 試食する.
このチーズを試食してもいいですか。
→ May I taste this cheese?
スーパーでパンを試食しました。
→ I sampled some bread at the supermarket.
The key difference is the situation. 試食する suggests a tasting or sample. 食べてみる is broader: you might order an entire meal because you want to try it.
納豆を食べてみたいです。
→ I want to try natto.
Another useful word is 味見, “checking the taste.” It is common while cooking, when you taste a dish to check its seasoning. 試食 is a better fit for a shop’s food samples.
5. 試飲: Taste or Sample a Drink
試飲 is the drink version of 試食. It means tasting a beverage, such as tea, juice, or coffee. It is not limited to alcoholic drinks. The verb is 試飲する.
このお茶を試飲してもいいですか。
→ May I sample this tea?
新しいジュースを試飲しました。
→ I sampled a new juice.
For the more general idea of trying a drink, use 飲んでみる. You do not need to be at a tasting counter.
このコーヒーを飲んでみたいです。
→ I want to try this coffee.
Pronunciation tip: 試飲 is し・い・ん (shiin). Keep the long “ii” sound. 試食 is し・しょ・く (shishoku), and 試着 is し・ちゃ・く (shichaku).
A Simple Pattern for Asking Permission
In a shop, 〜てもいいですか is a helpful way to ask “May I…?” For the する verbs above, change する to して:
試着してもいいですか。
→ May I try it on?
試食してもいいですか。
→ May I sample the food?
試飲してもいいですか。
→ May I sample the drink?
You can begin with すみません (“Excuse me”) to get a staff member’s attention. Pointing to an item and saying これ (“this”) is enough when you do not know its name.
すみません。これを試着してもいいですか。
→ Excuse me. May I try this on?
You may also hear 試食できますか, meaning “Can I sample it?” or “Is tasting available?” Samples are not automatically free just because a sign says 試食 or 試飲; check the offer or ask staff.
More “Try” Words You May See
Many related words start with 試, which carries the idea of testing or trying. Learn these as whole words; you cannot freely add 試 to any word.
試用する: try out a product or service.
試乗する: take a test ride or test drive.
試聴する: listen to an audio sample.
お試し: a trial or sample, often seen in advertisements.
These are bonus words to recognize. Start by getting comfortable with 〜てみる and the three shopping expressions above.
Common Mistakes When Saying “Try”
Using the dictionary form before みる. Use the te-form: 食べてみる, not 食べるみる.
Using 試食 for every new food experience. If you simply want to try ramen for lunch, 食べてみる is usually the natural choice. Use 試食 when sampling or tasting food.
Translating every English “try” as 〜てみる. This pattern means trying an action as an experiment. English also uses “try” for effort or an unsuccessful attempt. Those meanings may need different Japanese expressions, such as 〜ようとする for an attempt. You do not need that more advanced pattern to ask for a food sample!
Mini Quiz: Which “Try” Fits?
Choose the best expression for each situation.
1. You want to try on a coat in a shop.
A. 試着する B. 試飲する
2. You taste a small piece of cake at a sample counter.
A. 試食する B. 試着する
3. You taste a new tea at a tasting event.
A. 試飲する B. 試聴する
4. You want to try speaking Japanese.
A. 日本語で話すみたいです。
B. 日本語で話してみたいです。
Answers: 1 A, 2 A, 3 A, 4 B.
Clothes → 試着; food samples → 試食; drink samples → 試飲. For an action such as speaking, use the te-form + みる.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to say “I’ll try” in Japanese?
やってみます。 means “I’ll give it a try” when the action is clear. If you want to name the action, use a specific verb, such as 作ってみます (“I’ll try making it”).
Can I say 試着してみる?
Yes. It is natural and means giving something a try by trying it on. 試着する already describes the fitting, while 〜てみる adds the “let’s see what it is like” feeling.
Is 試飲 only for wine or sake?
No. It can describe sampling tea, coffee, juice, and other drinks too.
Try One Phrase Today
Start with 〜てみる for trying an activity. Then remember the three shop words: 試着 for clothes, 試食 for food samples, and 試飲 for drink samples. Choose one example, switch off the furigana, and see if you can read it aloud.
Planning to go clothes shopping? Read our post about UNIQLO and everyday life in Japan. For another useful food vocabulary comparison, explore ごはん vs 食事.
Want to practice these phrases in conversation? Join NihongoNana’s Japanese lessons and try a shopping role-play with your teacher.
Further reading: Jitenon’s entry for trying on clothes and Shogakukan’s dictionary definition of drink sampling on Kotobank.
