N4 Topics
L6: Try as You Might
Try as You Might
In this Topic, we’re going to learn about a few more patterns that make use of the て-form. We will learn how to use なくてもいい to say that not doing something is okay, the てみる pattern to say we will ‘have a go’ at doing something, and the てすみません pattern to apologize.
In the Details section, we will discuss てみる further, comparing to other superficially similar phrases.
Grammar in this Topic
なくてもいい
Don't have to
なくてもいい is simply the opposite of てもいい, and highlights that it is 'ok even if (A) is not done'. This usually comes across as being quite polite, and sounds like 'don't worry about doing (A)' in English.
なくてもいい is a combination of the auxiliary verb ない in its conjunction form, with てもいい.
In order to make this phrase sound even more casual, the adverbial particle も may be omitted. This does not change the nuance at all, but will sound a bit more friendly (when used with people that you know well).
てみる
To try to
In order to express that you will (or someone else should) try something, the conjunction particle て will be paired with 見る (almost always without kanji). While this is translated as 'to try to (A)', the actual meaning is closer to 'to do (A), and see (whether the result is good or not)'.
This grammar construction is usually only used when someone tries something for the first time.
As mentioned above, this phrase is also used when suggesting that someone else should try something. In these situations, (A) + てみて, or more formally, (A) + てみてください will be used.
Sometimes, in very casual requests, even the て of みて will be dropped, and (A) + てみ will be used by itself. This usually has the nuance of 'come on, just give it a go!'
Caution
When てみた appears in the past tense, it will imply that the attempt was successful, unless specifically stated otherwise by the speaker.
Fun Fact
While the kanji for 見る may be used in this grammar point, it will result in the 'see' meaning being heavily stressed (rather than 'try'). This may cause a misunderstanding on the part of the person listening/reading.
てすみません
I'm sorry for
てすみません is a grammar construction that expresses the speaker's regret about (A). It is often translated directly to 'I'm sorry for (A)'. As discussed in one of our previous lessons on て, we examined the 'since', or 'due to' meaning that it can have. Let's look at a few examples.
Phrases that use this particular (A) て (B) nuance of the て-form primarily express something that is beyond the control of the speaker in the (B) statement. Coming from the verb 済む (to finish), すみません (the negated form) means 'to be unfinished'. In this way, てすみません literally means that the speaker feels that something is 'unfinished due to (A)'. This is very similar to phrases like 'having unfinished business' in English.
Although the translation is 'I'm sorry', perhaps it would be easier to remember this grammar structure as highlighting someone's regret/unfinished feelings about (A), and simply showing that to the person that is being apologized to.
Details
As we have just learned, てみる is often translated as ‘to try’. However, this is a little misleading. Let’s have a look at why, and some other features of this useful phrase.
If at First You Don’t Succeed
There are a number of phrases in Japanese that could be translated as ‘try’, but they all have different nuances.
First, we have てみる. We have just learned this but it is important to repeat. てみる can literally be thought of as ‘doing (A) and seeing how it goes’. The nuance is about trying something out and experiencing the outcome. It is about giving something a go. It will be successful unless stated otherwise.
Next, we have an N3 grammar point. If we want to say that we attempted to do something, but there is some friction or even failure, then we need to use the ようとした pattern (the volitional plus the particle と and the past tense of する). We will learn about this pattern and its logic fully in N3, so in the below example let’s just remember that this meaning is distinct from てみる.
Finally, we have a pattern that we will learn about a little later in N4. To say that we ‘try to do’ something in the sense of endeavoring to make a habit of it or make sure we get it done, then we need to use the ようにする pattern. This is the auxiliary verb よう, not the volitional form.
We’ll learn all about this pattern a little later on, so for now let’s just remember that this ようにする pattern’s ‘try’ nuance is also distinct from てみる.