Getting through, giving up, not wasting a chance
Words for handling a situation: start somewhere, push past the details, manage somehow, say how it ended, take an outcome as settled in advance, and don't waste a chance or an effort.
toriaezu
for now; to start with
とりあえず
Marks a first step or a temporary choice made before deciding the rest (toriaezu biiru, toriaezu yatte miru).
toriaezu yatte miyou.
Let's just try it for now.
とりあえずやってみよう。
toriaezu yatte mimashou.
Let's try it for now.
とりあえずやってみましょう。
toriaezu biiru (beer to start) is the classic first order at an izakaya.
Learn alongside: tonikaku
tonikaku
anyway; at any rate
とにかく
Cuts past details or doubts to the main point or action (tonikaku ikou, tonikaku tsukareta).
tonikaku yatte miyou.
Never mind the details, let's just try it.
とにかくやってみよう。
tonikaku yatte mimashou.
Never mind the details, let's just try it.
とにかくやってみましょう。
It also pivots a story to its point: tonikaku, sugokatta (anyway, it was amazing).
Learn alongside: toriaezu
nantoka
somehow; manage to
何とか なんとか
Says something gets handled despite difficulty, as in nantoka naru (it'll work out), nantoka dekita and nantoka shite (do something!).
nantoka naru yo.
It'll work out somehow.
何とかなるよ。
nantoka narimasu yo.
It'll work out somehow.
何とかなりますよ。
It also stands in for a forgotten name: nantoka san (Mr. So-and-so).
Learn first: naru
kekkyoku
in the end; after all
結局 けっきょく
Sums up how things finally turned out, often against the plan, which makes it key for telling stories.
kekkyoku dame datta.
In the end, it didn't work out.
結局ダメだった。
kekkyoku dame deshita.
In the end, it didn't work out.
結局ダメでした。
kekkyoku reports the final outcome; yappari says it matched what you expected.
sekkaku
since we have the chance; after all that trouble
せっかく
Marks a chance or an effort as too good to waste, so it only fits something rare or effortful, never a plain 'since'. sekkaku da kara (since we have the chance) and sekkaku kita n da kara (since we came all this way) suggest making the most of it, sekkaku ... noni (after all that trouble) complains that it went to waste, and sekkaku no + noun means 'rare, long-awaited' (sekkaku no yasumi, my rare day off).
sekkaku da kara, yatte miyou.
Since we've got the chance, let's give it a go.
せっかくだから、やってみよう。
sekkaku desu kara, yatte mimashou.
Since we have the chance, let's give it a try.
せっかくですから、やってみましょう。
A polite way to turn down an offer: sekkaku desu kedo, kyou wa chotto... (that's kind of you, but today's a bit...).
douse
anyway (it's settled regardless); might as well (douse nara)
どうせ
Treats an outcome as settled whatever you do. Often it's resigned (douse muri da, douse wasureru yo), and aimed at someone it sounds sulky or bitter (douse kikanai n desho). It's also a neutral 'anyway' when you give a reason: douse hima da shi, tetsudau yo (I'm free anyway, so I'll help). It never moves a story on the way English 'anyway' does; that's tonikaku.
douse muri da yo.
It's not going to work anyway.
どうせ無理だよ。
douse muri desu yo.
It's not going to work anyway.
どうせ無理ですよ。
douse nara (if it's happening anyway) is the upbeat 'might as well': douse nara ii no kaou yo (if we're buying one anyway, let's get a good one).