Expressing "would rather" with "ningke"

宁可 is used where the speaker wants to compare two unfavorable options, and choose a "unfavorable option" over a "very unfavorable option"

宁可 can be used in several constructions, and can be a little bit confusing.

First of all, it can be used with 与其 to form the following construction:

与其 + most unfavorable option + 宁可 + unfavorable option

Here, the speaker is choosing the better of two unfavorable situations.

• 与其依靠家人，我宁可自食其力。
• 与其失去自由，我宁可自杀。

The following construction put 宁可 at the beginning of the sentence:

宁可 + unfavorable option + 也不 very unfavorable option

Again, the speaker is choosing between two options, but they are the reverse of above.

Some examples:

• 我宁可遭受酷刑，也不要给敌人任何情报。
• 我宁可得癌症，也不要戒烟。

In the following construction 宁可 is used a little differently:

宁可 + unfavorable action + 也要 + the thing the speaker wishes to gain.

Here the speaker must pay a price in order to complete or gain something, a bit like "even though X, I'm still willing to do Y"

Some examples:

• 我宁可几天不睡觉，也要完成这个项目。
• 我宁可把所有的存款都给花光，也要环球旅行。