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“Rent” and “hire” are similar verbs that both involve the exchange of money for the temporary use of something, so when should you use “rent” and when should you use “hire”? There is plenty of discussion and disagreement about how and when to use the two words, and exceptions always seem to pop up, but here are some general guidelines:
- When it comes to properties and venues, such as an apartment or a venue for your wedding reception, you should use “rent.”
- When it comes to people and organizations, you should “hire” them for their services. You might need to “hire” a plumber to fix the toilet in that apartment you “rent” or “hire” a catering service to deliver food to that venue you “rented” for your wedding reception. You may come across exceptions, though, especially when it comes to the names of commercial services. For example, an informal term for a private security guard is “rent-a-cop.”
- When it comes to transportation, tools, and other items, it depends where you are and what variety of English you’re speaking! In American English, “hire” is typically used for people, and all objects/items should be “rented.” However, in British English, it is possible to “hire” a dress for your wedding or a bicycle to ride around downtown. This sounds quite odd in North America, though, and you might confuse someone by asking where you can “hire” a bicycle!
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