どうしようもない
Usually written in kana. Kanji spelling どうしようも無い
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless
Meanings
Expression, I-adjective
it cannot be helped; there's nothing for it; it's no use fighting back; it's hopeless; there is no way out of it
Forms
| Plain | Polite | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | どうしようもない | どうしようもないです |
| Negative | どうしようもなくない | どうしようもなくないです |
| Past | どうしようもなかった | どうしようもなかったです |
| Past negative | どうしようもなくなかった | どうしようもなくなかったです |
| Te-form | どうしようもなくて |
|---|---|
| Conditional (ば) | どうしようもなければ |
| Conditional (たら) | どうしようもなかったら |
Example sentences
どうしようも無いのね。
It can't be helped.
私としてはどうしようもない。
I can't help it.
-
You really are hopeless.
万事休すだ。もうどうしようもない。
It is all over with me. It can't be helped.
-
I cannot help his being lazy.
More examples (9)
分かってるんだけど、どうしようもないのよ。
I know but I can't help it.
-
Without your consent, nothing can be done about it.
-
The accident happened, but they couldn't help it.
-
I wanted to help, but there was nothing I could do.
-
I may be a hopeless fool, but please be kind to me.
-
My dad's estranged because my mum's hopeless.
-
There is an air of resignation everywhere.
親がいないとどうしようもないほど悪さをする子供たちもいるものだ。
Some children are as bad as they can be while their parents are gone.
君はそれをもっと早くやるべきだったのに。今となってはどうしようもない。
You should have done it earlier. It cannot be helped now.