てごらん
🃏 Flashcard
てごらん
te goran
Tap to reveal usage
(please) try to; (please) look
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
te goran
Post ID
50937
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
(please) try to; (please) look
📖 How to use it
A soft, encouraging way to tell someone to try doing something or to look at something.
Attaches to
Attach to the て-form of a verb.
てごらん is a friendly, casual imperative that means 'try doing (something) and see' or 'please look'. It is formed by adding ごらん (which comes from ごらんなさい, the polite command for 'look') to the て-form of a verb. The nuance is that you are inviting someone to attempt an action, often to see what happens or to experience something. It is softer than てみなさい and more casual than てみてください, but still carries a sense of instruction or suggestion from someone in a position of authority, like a parent, teacher, or older friend.
ちょっとこのケーキを食べてごらん。
Chotto kono keeki o tabete goran.
Try eating this cake a little.
地図を見てごらん、すぐわかるよ。
Chizu o mite goran, sugu wakaru yo.
Just look at the map, you'll understand right away.
自分でやってごらん、できるから。
Jibun de yatte goran, dekiru kara.
Try doing it yourself, you can do it.
Not てみる
てみる simply means 'to try doing something' without the nuance of 'look and see' or the gentle authoritative encouragement. てごらん adds a tone of 'go ahead and try, I'm guiding you' and is often used when asking someone to look at something or attempt something for their own benefit.
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Casual, spoken Japanese, commonly used in adult-to-child or superior-to-subordinate situations; not appropriate in formal or business settings.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
てごらん
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat てごらん three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using てごらん. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern てごらん mean?
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(please) try to; (please) look
What JLPT level is てごらん?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use てごらん in a sentence?
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Attach てごらん (te goran) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is てごらん formal or casual Japanese?
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てごらん is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember てごらん long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.