Please, tell me the difference between these sentences

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Eladio  #90417  Fri, 15 Apr 05 11:10 PM
Could anyone tell me the difference between the following two sentences?
1.- What is there to do? (Maybe, this question is related to an answer like this: There are potatoes and chicken, do what you wish)
2.- What do I have to do? (You have to prepare chicken with potatoes)

But what about these?
1.- What is there to say?
2.- What do I have to say?
In this case, the difference is not so clear to me.

Thank you in advance!
Eladio

CalifJim, could you help with an Spanish translation?
  
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abbie1948  #90439  Sat, 16 Apr 05 12:54 AM
1.- What is there to say? "There is nothing I can say in this situation"


2.- What do I have to say?
" You've asked me to speak to X. What do I need to tell him?"






  
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Hope that helps. Abbie
CalifJim  #90472  Sat, 16 Apr 05 02:43 AM
Eladio,

I don't think you need a translation! The first of each pair is impersonal, the second has "I". It's like the difference between "hay que hacer ..." and "tengo que hacer ...", only in question form.

You may be bothered by the somewhat idiomatic meaning of "What is there to say?", i.e., "There is nothing to say", "There is nothing to be said", "There is nothing one can say". This borders on "No hay remedio".

Jim
  
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Eladio  #91162  Mon, 18 Apr 05 02:37 PM
Thanks both of you for your answers. Too many idiomatic forms in English! But now I got it thanks of you.
Anyway, in the case of the sentences I posted:
1.- What is there to do?
2.- What do I have to do?
Are the following answers correct? (That would mean I understood their meaning)
Answer to (1): There are potatoes and chicken, do what you wish)
Answer to (2): There are potatoes, chicken, beef, and lamb, but you do chicken with potatoes, or you will be in troubles).
Eladio
  
pieanne  #91170  Mon, 18 Apr 05 03:01 PM
I'll make slightly different answers, if I may!

1.- What is there to do? - Well, I've already peeled the potatoes, you can put the chicken into the oven, if you want.

2.- What do I have to do? - We have divided the chores among us: You peel the potatoes and do the washing.
  
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I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
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