What's the difference between these two sentences?
- I'd have to say - I have to say
While watching tv series with English subtitles, i have noticed that the translation of them is the same. Then why do people prefer to say that I'd have to instead of saying that i have to? And What does 'would' work in these sentences except for referring to the past time?

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Thank you. It helped a lot.

Answer

There's no difference in meaning. People decide based on habit or whim.

In theory, "I'd have to.." or "I would have to..." is hypothetical:
"I have to eat because I am hungry."
"I'd have to eat if I were hungry."

But here, it is not hypothetical. "I'd have to say" or "I would have to say" is just a way of softening the message suggesting a touch of doubt.

There may be a difference in British versus US usage. We definitely use both phrasings in the US, but it is possible that "I have to..." is more common in the US and "I'd have to..." is more common in the UK.