~ようとする

[Brody]

I just read in my grammar book that this construction (meaning "to try") cannot be used of the first person. Is this right? I seem to distinctly remember seeing this used of the first person.

Any ideas?

[Airth]

The way I understand it is it's OK when you talk about something you tried to do but failed:
なになにしょうとしたけど、失敗した。
naninani shiyou to shita kedo, shippai shita

Or something you are trying to do but failing:
なになにしょうとしているが、・・・
naninani shiyou to shiteiru ga,...

But you can't use it in the first person when talking about the future. That's when you would use the te+miru construction.

I'm afraid I can't explain why it isn't acceptable when talking about something you are going to try to do. Does your grammar book give any more information?

[Brody]

Yeah, that's what I thought too, that ようとする was more of trying something and failing (so more in the past tense) and みる was future.

I guess what the grammar book means is just as you said, Airth: you can't use it for the future tense, which I agree with. Would have been nice if they clarified that (ah well, that was the only mistake like that I saw in the book).

Thanks for clearing that up for me!