Search blog
What are Lease, Rent and Hire? Distinguishing the 3 words Lease, Rent and Hire
Lease, Rent and Hire are three common verbs in English, but many people still confuse their meanings and usage. In today’s article, let’s distinguish the differences between Lease, Rent and Hire with PREP!
I. What is Lease?
Before distinguishing between Lease, Rent and Hire, let’s explore the concept, phrases, and collocations with Lease!
1. Definition
Lease is pronounced /liːs/ and functions as both a noun and a verb.
-
As a verb, it means: to make a legal agreement by which money is paid in order to use land, a building, a vehicle, or a piece of equipment for an agreed period of time. For example: I leased my new car instead of buying it.
-
As a noun, it means: a legal agreement in which you pay money in order to use a building, piece of land, vehicle, etc. for a period. For example: Jack has the house on a long lease.
2. Words/Phrases associated with Lease
Words/Phrases associated with Lease |
Example |
a lease expires/ runs out |
Our apartment lease expires at the end of the month. |
a 10-/ 20-/ 30-year lease |
They signed a 10-year lease for the office space, with an option to renew after 12 months. |
a lease agreement/ contract/ payment |
The landlord provided a detailed lease agreement that outlined the terms and conditions of the rental. |
a long-term/ short-term lease |
The company secured a long-term lease for the warehouse. |
term of the lease |
The term of the lease is 24 months. |
3. Collocation with Lease
Collocation with Lease |
Example |
current lease |
Our current lease ends in December, so we need to start looking for a new apartment soon. |
five-year lease |
The company signed a five-year lease for the office space. |
lease agreement |
Before moving in, the tenant carefully reviewed the lease agreement to understand all the terms. |
lease of life |
After the renovation, the old building got a new lease of life and became a popular shopping center. |
long-term lease |
They opted for a long-term lease on the property. |
mineral lease |
The company obtained a mineral lease to explore and extract resources from the land. |
new lease |
The tenant signed a new lease after the previous one expired to continue living in the apartment. |
oil and gas leases |
The government auctioned off several oil and gas leases to companies interested in exploration. |
short-term lease |
They decided to rent the apartment under a short-term lease for six months. |
written lease |
The landlord provided a written lease to ensure all the terms were legally binding and clear to both parties. |
II. What is Rent?
To understand the differences between Lease, Rent and Hire, let’s explore what Rent is!
1. Definition
"Rent" is pronounced /rent/ and functions as both a noun and a verb.
-
As a noun, it means: a fixed amount of money that you pay regularly for the use of a room, house, car, television, etc. that someone else owns. For example: I pay a higher rent than the other tenants because my room is bigger.
-
As a verb, it means: to pay or receive a fixed amount of money for the use of a room, house, car, television, etc.. For example: I rented a car from a garage so that I could get about.
2. Words/Phrases associated with Rent
Words/Phrases associated with Rent |
Example |
a fair/ high/ low rent |
The apartment has a fair rent considering its location in the city center. |
annual/ monthly rent |
The annual rent for the office space is quite expensive, but it's worth the investment. |
commercial/ office rents |
Commercial rents in the downtown area have increased significantly over the past year. |
pay (the) rent |
I always make sure to pay the rent on time to avoid any late fees. |
charge/ collect rent |
The landlord charges a reasonable rent for the apartment, considering its amenities. |
rent a car/ an automobile |
We decided to rent a car for our road trip to have more flexibility. |
rent sth from sb |
We rent the apartment from a local landlord who has several properties in the area. |
rent sth for sth |
They rented a venue for the wedding that could accommodate all their guests. |
rent sth to sb |
The company rents out office space to small businesses in the downtown area. |
III. What is Hire?
To accurately distinguish between Lease, Rent and Hire, let’s explore what Hire is!
1. Definition
"Hire" is pronounced /haɪr/ and functions as both a verb and a noun.
-
As a verb, it means: to pay to use something for a short period; to employ someone or pay someone to do a particular job. Example:
-
How much would it cost to hire a car for the weekend?
-
I was hired by the first company I applied to.
-
-
As a noun, it means: an arrangement to use something by paying for it; a person to whom a company has recently given a job. Example:
-
The price includes flights and car hire.
-
Anna's our latest hire.
-
2. Words/Phrases associated with Hire
Words/Phrases associated with Hire |
Example |
car/ equipment/ plant hire |
I opted for car hire during our vacation to explore the area at our own pace. |
a hire business/ company/ firm |
Anna started a car hire business. |
additional/ fresh/ new hires |
The company welcomed several fresh hires to the team to meet the growing demand. |
for hire |
The bikes were available for hire at the entrance of the park. |
hiring and firing |
The new manager was responsible for hiring and firing employees to streamline the team. |
3. Phrasal verbs with Hire
Phrasal verbs with Hire |
Example |
hire sb/ sth out |
The company hires out its equipment to other firms in need of specialized machinery. |
hire yourself out |
After losing his job, Jackson hired himself out as a freelance consultant to make ends meet. |
hire sb as sth |
They hired Sarah as the new marketing manager due to her extensive experience. |
be hired by sb/ sth |
John was hired by the tech company as a software developer after graduating. |
IV. Distinguishing Lease, Rent and Hire in English
Let’s distinguish the difference between Hire and Rent, the difference between Lease and Hire with PREP below!
The Lease, Hire and Rent difference |
Lease |
Rent |
Hire |
Usage |
Refers to renting property, especially real estate (like houses, offices, land) for a long period, typically one year or more. |
Refers to renting property or equipment, usually for a shorter duration than "lease." |
Used in British English to refer to short-term rentals for equipment, vehicles, or the hiring of staff. |
Example |
The company signed a five-year lease for the new office space. |
They decided to rent a car for the weekend trip. |
The company plans to hire more staff to handle the increased workload. |
V. Exercises to distinguish Lease, Rent and Hire
To understand the usage and differences between Hire vs Lease and Rent vs Hire, let’s complete the exercises below with PREP!
1. Exercise: Choose Lease, Rent or Hire to fill in the blanks.
-
They decided to ___ a car for their road trip across the country.
-
The company signed a long-term ___ for the office space in the downtown area.
-
We need to ___ some extra staff to help with the project deadline.
-
The monthly ___ for the apartment is due on the first of every month.
-
The landlord agreed to ___ the house to them for five years.
-
After losing his job, he started to ___ himself out as a freelance writer.
-
She wants to ___ a venue for the wedding reception.
-
They ___ out equipment for large construction projects.
-
The ___ agreement includes clauses about maintenance and repairs.
-
He has a one-year ___ on the equipment he’s using for the project.
2. Answer
|
|
Above, PREP has shared detailed concepts, usage, and distinctions between Lease, Rent and Hire. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, and PREP will respond as soon as possible!
Comment
Search blog
Most read
Register for a learning roadmap consultation
Please leave your information, and Prep will contact you for consultation right away!