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If I have an exam tomorrow and I said the following:

  1. I have to study hard because I really don't want to take the exam again.
  2. I have to study hard because I really don't want to have to take the exam again.

What's the difference between 'don't want to' and 'don't want to have to?'

I'm not sure but I think 'don't want to' here simply talks about what you personally want and not. And 'don't want to have to' means that there's something (certificate) for which you'll have to retake the exam if you fail.

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  • to not want to have to is not to not want to.
    – Lambie
    Aug 2, 2020 at 15:56

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The following are synonymous:

I have to study hard because I really don't want to have to take the exam again.
I have to study hard because I really don't want to be required to take the exam again.
I have to study hard because I really don't want to be compelled to take the exam again.

Compared to the other sentence:

I have to study hard because I really don't want to take the exam again.

Could you translate those into your native language and observe the difference? One has the word "required", and the other doesn't.

Yes, the requirement would be related to graduation or certification. Simply "not wanting" is not necessarily connected to graduation or certification.

However, for both statements we might ask - "why"?

This leads to the same answer in either case, which is "because I don't want to", presumably because it's stressful or difficult to take exams. With such an analysis, both sentences ultimately have the same meaning, but they take different pathways to get there.

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  • Thank you very much I think I get it. 'Don't want to have to' = there's an obligation/ something that'll make me take the exam again. Is that roughly the idea?
    – Ashraf
    Aug 5, 2020 at 8:17
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    @Ashraf right, "to have to" means something like "to have the obligation to". In the example sentences though, the idea is already understood, because the reason you'd take an exam again is because you were required to. Therefore, you don't even need to say "have to", the listener knows it's because "you have to". ( "obligated to" )
    – Sam
    Aug 5, 2020 at 13:40
  • Thank you once again. Can you please give me an example sentence where 'have to' would be necessary in order to get the correct message across?
    – Ashraf
    Aug 5, 2020 at 20:44
  • Do I have to answer that? :-)
    – Sam
    Aug 5, 2020 at 20:54
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    Right, for these examples.
    – Sam
    Aug 7, 2020 at 10:45

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