What's the difference between 我能怎么帮助你？ and 我怎么能帮助你？

[tooironic]

What's the difference between 我能怎么帮助你？ and 我怎么能帮助你？

A friend was trying to explain it to me the other day but I didn't quite get it.

Thanks.

[edelweis]

I think the 1st sentence implies that you are willing to help and wish to know how to do so.

 

But the 2nd sentence is more ambiguous, it could mean that you are unwilling or unable (subject + 怎么 ..  + ? =  rhetorical question.)

[aone]

我能怎么帮助你？ What can I do for you?

我怎么能帮助你？How can I help you?

[skylee]

(1) In what way can I help you?

(2) How can I help you? As in either (a) I want to help you, tell me how. Or (b) (We are competitors.) How can I help you (and put myself at a disadvantage)?

[陳德聰]

skylee's (2b) may be better phrased as "Why would/How could I help you (and put myself at a disadvantage)?" since this reading is a rhetorical question.

[JayXZ]

All above answers are pretty good, and the first one is indeed straightforward:

 

我能怎么帮助你？ - How can I help you? (I'm willing and I want to know how to help you) 

 

The second one is more ambiguous, and we can look at some examples here:

 

如果你自己不努力，我怎么能帮助你？(Like a parent to child) If you don't put effort into it, how could I help you?

你对我不理不睬，我怎么能帮你？You just ignore me completely, why would I help you?

[tooironic]

I think I understand now, thanks everyone.

 

So, 我能怎么帮助你？ = How can I help you?

 

While, 我怎么能帮助你？= How could I help you? / Why would I help you? (rhetorical question)

[Pedroski]

I think 我怎么能帮助你？has a reading 'How the hell can I help you? So I agree with Edelweiss. (Ah, The Sound of Music)