Particularly in the following phrases, what's the difference between
[どうしたらいい](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84%E3%81%84)
and
[どうしていい](http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%84)?
The following both seem to mean something like "I don't know what to do":

>   * どうしたらいいか分かりません
>   * どうしていいか分かりません
>

Is there some difference between どうして and どうしたら which changes the nuance or
meaning somehow?

Is どうしたらいいか分かりません stronger in meaning than どうしていいか分かりません?
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2012-05-21T01:38:39.840
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2012-05-21T05:28:31.580
2012-05-21T01:44:03.123
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question
word-choice
What's the difference between どうしたらいい and どうしていい?
* どうしたらいい 'what I am supposed to do, what I should do'
  * どうしていい 'what I am allowed to do, what I may do'
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2012-05-21T04:46:16.693
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2012-05-21T04:46:16.693
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answer
Looking at it backwards...

> こうしたらいい  
>  If I do this, good outcome.  
>  こうしたらよくない  
>  If I do this, bad outcome.

And...

> こうして(は)いい  
>  I can do this (because it achieves a good outcome).  
>  こうしてはだめ  
>  I can't/shouldn't do this (because it achieves a bad outcome).

So it kind of sounds like...

> どうしたらいいか分かりません  
>  I don't know what will achieve a good outcome.  
>  どうしていいか分かりません  
>  I don't know what I can possibly do. (OR...)  
>  I can't figure out what I can/should do.

That's my best attempt at clearly capturing the difference between the two,
but if you're still unsure, I do think that considering the feel of こうしたら？
versus こうしては？ can illuminate the difference somewhat.

I also feel like どうしたらいい is a little less immediate/urgent than どうしていい, but
I'm not sure how to explain that difference well.

The difference is difficult to pinpoint, really...but I imagine it won't make
a great difference most of the time, either.
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2012-05-21T05:22:00.090
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answer