He'd is a contraction, which means it's a shortened form that combines two words into one. It can mean either “he had” or “he would,” depending on the context.

When it means “he had,” it's usually part of a past perfect tense: “He'd finished his homework before dinner” (he had finished). When it means “he would,” it shows something conditional or habitual: “He'd always help his little sister with her math” (he would always help).

You can usually tell which meaning fits by paying attention to what comes next. If the sentence continues with words like “rather,” “never,” or “always,” it often means “he would.” If it's followed by a past participle like “eaten,” “gone,” or “seen,” it usually means “he had.”

This contraction appears constantly in everyday speech and writing because it sounds more natural and flows better than saying the full two words. “He'd better hurry” sounds much more normal than “He'd better hurry.” Like other contractions such as “I'd” or “she'd,” it makes English feel less formal and more conversational.