"would rather" vs. "had rather"

[logician]

Hi Alan and Torsten!
Could you tell me it?
I know that "would rather" often means "prefer".
But I sow 'had rather' in following sentense:
I had rather you not smoke here

What is "had rather"?
Is it the same (would rather)

Many thanks

Logician

[Alan]

Hi,

I'd rather you didn't smoke.

I had rather you hadn't smoked.

Both are expressing preferences but the second is more polite/remote.

Note the tenses.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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