Log inSign up

watasi mo tomodati ni nihongo wo osiete mimasu.

私わたし　も　友達ともだち　に　日本語にほんご　を　教おしえて　みます。watasi mo tomodati ni nihongo wo osiete mimasu.
I will also try to teach Japanese to a friend.
FromLesson 8inHardcore Japanese
…

Questions & Answers about watasi mo tomodati ni nihongo wo osiete mimasu.

What does the particle も in 私も indicate? How is it different from は?
も means “also” or “too,” showing inclusion. In 私も, you’re saying “I, too, will try teaching…” whereas は alone would just mark the topic (“as for me”). You can’t use は and も together here; も replaces は when you want the “also” nuance.
Why is 友達 marked with に instead of を?
With the verb 教える, the person being taught (the recipient) takes に, and the thing taught takes を. So 友達に means “to/for (my) friend.”
Why is 日本語 marked with を?
日本語 is the direct object (the thing you’re teaching), so it takes the object marker を.
What does the construction ～てみます mean? How is it different from just 教えます?
The pattern ～てみる means “to try doing something.” So 教えてみます means “I’ll try teaching,” implying you’re giving it a shot. 教えます would simply state “I will teach” without the nuance of trying or experimenting.
Why is the verb in its て‐form before みます? Why not 教えみます?
By grammar, you always attach みる/みます to the て‐form of a verb. So you convert 教える to 教えて, then add みます to get 教えてみます.
Could we omit 私も and just say 友達に日本語を教えてみます?
Yes. Japanese often drops pronouns when context is clear. Without 私も, it’s still grammatical and natural if it’s obvious you’re talking about yourself.
What nuance would 友達と convey if we used that instead of 友達に?
友達と means “together with a friend.” So 友達と日本語を教えてみます would mean “I’ll try teaching Japanese together with a friend,” not “to (my) friend.”
What level of politeness is 教えてみます? How would you say it informally?
教えてみます is polite (the “‐ます” form). Informally you’d use the plain form 教えてみる, e.g. 友達に日本語を教えてみる.

More from this lesson

denkitukeruwatasi ha denki wo tukemasu.nerukesuwatasi ha neru mae ni denki wo kesimasu.akaruinode
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Japanese

Master Japanese — from watasi mo tomodati ni nihongo wo osiete mimasu to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Japanese freeBrowse the full course