Expressing the acceptance of defeat and helplessness


しょうがない (See: [This blog
post](http://evansjapanexperience.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/problem-of-
shouganai-what-can-be-done.html), and
[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikata_ga_nai))

Like "Japanese people", I am often placed in situations where no matter how
hard I try, I can't change the outcome/fate. The only thing I can do is accept
it.

My favored response in such a situation in English is a dejected utterance of
"oh well" and/or a half-hearted shrug. Other possible rhetorical verbal
responses include "can't be helped I guess" and "too bad". Situations can
include the minor (It just started raining! "Oh well") and major (a hundred
African children just died today because of malnourishment. "Oh well")

I have collected the following possible expressions that may be Japanese
counterparts of "oh well":

まあいいけど 仕方ないか (and its variants) まあともかく そうか...

Does anyone know the difference (if any) and correct usage? And any other
ones?




As a Japanese-speaker, I myself say 「ま、いいか。」 or 「ま、いっか。」 most often in less
serious situatons. IMHO, those expressions would carry the feeling of "Oh
well." the best. That ま is a colloquial form of まあ. However, one should avoid
saying those in response to very sad or serious news because one could sound
like one was saying "Whatever."

I do not often say 「しかたない」 or 「しょうがない」 myself. Those sound too "textbook" to
me depending on when and how one says them but it is also true that there are
situations that call for "textbook" comments, so it is しょうがない that I end up
saying those phrases once in a while.

