Grammar Explanation for 兎を飼ってみたいです

Hello, I’m reviewing the Tango N4 Deck and I was a bit confused on one grammar point. I tried looking it up and couldn’t find anything. Could someone explain to me why 兎を飼ってみたいです translates to “I want to own a rabbit” instead of 兎を飼いたいです。

2 comments
  1. 兎を飼いたいです I want to own (keep as a pet) a rabbit.

    兎を飼ってみたいです I want to try owning a rabbit.

    て + みる means to try something. In this case it’s て + みたい, I want to try something. It can add a nuance of doing something for the first time.

  2. V-て+みる = try to do something.

    V-stem+たい = want to do something.

    So 飼う (keep a pet) -> 飼ってみる (try keeping a pet) -> 飼ってみたい (want to try keeping a pet)

    Whereas what you propose is: 飼う (keep a pet) -> 飼いたい (want to keep a pet)

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