Hi Aaron, Although they're sometimes used interchangeably, "want" implies a definite feeling whereas "would like" implies a conditional probability. Here's what I mean: "I want you to help me with my homework." This means that there's no uncertainty about my wishes for you to help me. "I would like you to help me with my homework." This means that, while I hope you will help me, I'm not exactly sure if you will or won't. Generally speaking, it's more polite to use "would like" because it allows the listener to have a choice. While "want" isn't a demand, it can sometimes come across as giving the listener an uneasy decision. I hope my answer helped. Please let me know if you're still confused.