一、后接动词原形

后接动词原形，表示“宁愿做某事”。如：

He would rather be killed in a race than die a lingering death in hospital.

他宁肯在比赛中丢了性命也不愿在医院里苟延残喘。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

I personally would rather roast a chicken whole.

我个人更愿意烤整只鸡。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

I would rather invest time in Rebecca than in the kitchen.

我宁愿把时间花在丽贝卡身上也不愿花在厨房里。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》


I'd rather be told the truth than be lied to. 我宁愿听真话，不愿被欺骗。

I've already seen that film, so I'd rather see another one. 我已经看过那部电影了，所以还是看部别的吧。

I'll go if you're going. If not, I'd rather stay at home. 你去我就去，否则我宁可待在家里。

I would rather stay at home.

我宁愿待在家里。

《汉英大词典》


I'd rather do it without anybody's help. 我宁愿不要任何人帮助，自己干这件事。

“How about a drink?” “I'd rather have something to eat.”“喝一杯怎么样?”“我宁愿来点吃的。”


注：would rather的否定式，通常要将not置于rather之后。如：

I'd rather not say anything. 我宁可什么也不说。

二、后接完成式动词

后接完成式动词，表示过去的想法，通常可译为“(本来)宁愿做某事”。如：

We went by sea, but I' d rather have gone by air. 我们是乘船去的，可我本想乘飞机去。

“At that time, I would rather have been a factory worker than an animal keeper,” he said. “那时，我宁愿做一个工厂工人，也不愿做动物饲养员，”他说道。

三、后接从句

后接从句时，从句谓语要用虚拟语气。具体说来，有以下两种情况：

1. 指现在或将来用过去时。如：

I would rather Lionel took it on

我宁愿莱昂内尔负责这件事。

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I would rather you didn't mention the price. 我愿意你别提价钱。

I'd rather you knew that now, than afterwards. 我宁愿你现在知道而不是以后。

Don't come and see me today—I'd rather you came tomorrow. 今天不要来看我——我希望你们明天来。

Tomorrow's difficult. I'd rather yon came next weekend. 明天有困难。我希望你下周末来。

“We might go for a swim” “No,l'd rather we didn't.” “我们去游泳吧。”“不，我想我们最好不去。”

“Shall I give you a cheque?” “I' d rather you paid cash.” “我付给您支票行吗?”“我想您最好付现金。”

Ann said that Bill wanted to go alone but that she'd rather he went with a group. 安说比尔想一个人去，但她宁愿他跟一大群人一起去。

2. 指过去用过去完成时。如：

I'd rather he hadn't told me about it 我宁愿他未告诉我这件事。

Kate went by car and I'd rather she hadn't. 凯特是坐汽车去的，我倒愿意她不是坐汽车去的。

I'd rather she had asked me before borrowing the car. 我真希望她先问我一声再借车。

注：有时用于虚拟语气语境中。如：

If I'd lived in 1400, I'd rather have been a knight than a monk. 如果我生活在1400年，我宁愿当骑士，不当修道士。

If she'd had a chance, she'd rather have lived 100 years ago. 如果有机会她宁愿生活在100年前。

I have no information one way or the other, but I would rather he do it than not do it

我没有办法得到情报，但是我宁愿他去做。

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四、用于would rather…than…结构

此结构表示“宁愿(做)……而不愿(做)……”。如：

She would rather perjure herself than admit to her sins.

她宁愿在法庭上撒谎也不愿承认她的罪行。

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He would rather have a decent death which served some purpose than ameaningless death.

他宁愿死得其所，也不想无谓地死去。

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The chairman quipped that he would rather sell his airline than his computersystems.

主席风趣地说，他宁可卖掉他的航空公司，也不愿出售他的计算机系统。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Kids would rather play than study

孩子们宁愿玩也不愿学习。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》


I would rather stare at a clear, star-filled sky than a TV set

我宁可凝视繁星满天的晴朗夜空也不愿盯着电视机。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

He himself believed in freedom, so much so that he would rather die than live without it.

他非常崇尚自由，不自由，毋宁死。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

He would rather shoot himself than compromise his principles.

他宁愿一枪打死自己也不愿违背自己的原则。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

We would rather withdraw the draft resolution than amend it.

与其修改决议草案，不如予以撤回。

《汉英大词典》


I'd rather go hungry than eat that! 我宁可挨饿也不吃那种东西!

I' d rather pay his fine for him than let him go to prison. 我宁愿替他交罚款，也不愿让他蹲监狱。

He would rather have the small one than (have) the large one. 他宁愿要小的那个，而不愿要大的。

I'd rather use my money than leave it lying in the bank. 我宁可把钱花了也不想存在银行里。

I'd rather have a room of my own. however small (it is), than share a room. 无论房间多么小，我宁愿一个人住一间，而不愿意与别人合住一个房间。

I would rather pay the individuals than let the money go to the State by default.

我宁愿把这些钱付给个人，也不愿它们因未作任何处置而自动地归国家所有。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Liu Hulan would rather die than surrender before the enemy.

刘胡兰在敌人面前宁死不屈。

《汉英大词典》

Most men would rather go to the grave than own up to feelings of dependency.

大多数男人宁死都不愿承认有依赖感。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

They would rather take the line of least resistance than become involved inarguments.

他们倾向采用阻力最小的方案，不愿卷入纷争。

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I would rather pay for a meal than watch nine friends pick over and split a bill

我宁可掏钱请客，也不愿看到9位朋友算来算去分摊账单。

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He would rather die than live in dishonour.

他宁死不愿忍辱偷生。

《汉英大词典》

I would rather be honest with people than tell them that there is going to be somepot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

我宁肯实话实说也不愿意给予他们不切实际的期望。

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五、用于口语表达I'd rather not

口语中说I'd rather not，表示委婉的不同意，其意为“我不想再……”，“我不想，我不愿……”。如：

I'd rather not dwell on the past.

我不想再沉湎于过去了。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Sorry. I'd rather not talk about it

抱歉，我不愿意谈论这个。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》


I'd rather not talk about it too much because I don't like giving trade secrets away.

我不愿就此多谈，因为我不想泄露秘密。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Would you like that? Don't hesitate to say no if you'd rather not.

你喜欢那个吗？如果你不喜欢就直说。

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》


“Are you coming with us?” “I'd rather not.” “你和我们一起来吗?“”我不想。”

“Some more wine” “Thank you. I'd rather not. I have to drive home.” “再来一点酒好吗？”“不要了，我不能再喝了。我还得开车回家呢。”

The boys' d rather go by air, wouldn't they? 男孩子更愿意坐飞机走，对吗?

You'd rather not wake a sleeping dog, would you? 你总不想没事找麻烦，对吧?

当然，口语中用肯定形式时，表示“我还是想……”

'You said you'd stay till tomorrow.' — 'I know, Bel, but I think I would rather goback.'

“你说过你要呆到明天的。”——“我知道，贝尔，但我还是想回去。”

《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》