I’d rather go to the seaside than to the mountains.
I'd rather have coffee than tea.
My own preferences:
I’d rather/I’d sooner + infinitive
I’d rather you hadn’t called him ‘old’.
I’d rather have spent the afternoon with a good friend.
Preferences about other people:
I’d rather + simple past … to refer to the present or the future
I’d rather + past perfect … to refer to the past
I’m seeing Emma this afternoon. I’d rather you didn’t.
I saw Emma yesterday afternoon. I’d rather you hadn’t.
Short replies:
I’d rather you didn’t ……. to refer to the present or the future.
I’d rather you hadn’t …… to refer to the past.
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Now what do you prefer ?
A holiday at the seaside or in the mountains ?
I’d rather spend my holidays at the seaside than in the mountains.
Working from home or from the office ?
Travelling by car or by public transport ?
Going to the cinema or to the theatre ?
Meat or fish as a main course ?
Winter fashion or summer fashion ?
Reading or watching television ?
A dog or a cat ?
Learning vocabulary or grammar ?
//I'd rather she went there.
(彼女がそこへ行ってくれるといいのだが。)
//あんんなヤツに謝るぐらいなら、死んだほうがましよね。
I 'd rather die than say to him, "I'm sorry."
//I'd rather not discuss it. 「私はどちらかと言うとそれを話し合いたくないんですが」
//I'd rather not go out this evening, if you don't
mind. 「あなたが気にしなければ、私はどちらかと言うと今夜は外出したくありません」
//I'd rather they didn't come.
「どちらかと言うと彼らが来ない方が良いです
//I rather go somewhere warm.
どちらかというと暖かいところに行きたいです。
//I'd rather not say.: 言わないでおきます。
//I'd rather not do.: やらないでおきます。
ところで would rather の後に動詞の原形ではなくて、<主語+動詞の過去形>が続く場合があります。
その場合の意味は「むしろ~したい」ではなくて、「むしろ~だといいのに」という意味になります