We'd is a contraction, a shortened form of two words squeezed together: “we would” or “we had.” The apostrophe marks where letters got left out.

When you say we'd like to go swimming, you're using the “we would” meaning. When you say we'd already finished our homework when Mom got home, you're using the “we had” meaning. Context makes it clear which one you mean.

Contractions like we'd make English sound more natural and conversational. Compare “We would appreciate your help” to “We'd appreciate your help.” The second feels friendlier and less formal. In everyday speech, most people naturally use contractions without thinking about it.

Other common contractions work the same way: “I'd” for “I would” or “I had,” “they'd” for “they would” or “they had,” and “you'd” for “you would” or “you had.” Learning to recognize them helps you read more fluently and understand what people mean when they're speaking casually. In formal writing, like essays or business letters, you might write out both words instead of using the contraction.