這兩個相當常用的動詞在英式英語和美式英語的用法並不完全相同，使用時必須因地制宜或因人而異，以免表錯情或會錯意。不過，儘管標題標示這兩字為動詞，但其實它們也都可當名詞用。
在英式英語中，短期租用物品用 hire，如 We can hire a car at the airport. (我們可以在機場租車)；I’ll have to hire a suit for Mary’s funeral. (我得為瑪麗的喪禮租一套西裝)；He’s running a car hire company. (他經營一家汽車出租公司) － 在美國，租車公司叫做 car rental company。長期租用物品則用 rent，如 Is that your own photocopier or do you rent it? (那台影印機是你自己的還是租來的？)；I’m poor as a church mouse and rent my television. (我一貧如洗，電視是租的)。物主出租東西用 hire out，如 That mansion is often hired out for private parties. (那棟豪宅常租給人開私人派對)；There are several companies in Kaohsiung that hire out yachts to tourists. (高雄有幾家公司出租遊艇給遊客)。
在英式英語中，租房子用 rent，而房東出租房屋則用 let (out)，如 Ted rents his flat from a retired teacher. (泰德的公寓是向一名退休老師租的)；I could always let (out) two spare rooms. (我隨時可以把兩間空房租出去)。房屋出租招牌上面所寫的字，英美用法亦有不同，英國使用 to let，而美國使用 for let 或 for rent，如 There’s a “To Let” sign on the house next door. (隔壁房子掛了一幅「出租」招牌)；There are some apartments for let (or for rent) in our community. (我們社區有幾間公寓要出租)。
在美式英語中，不論時間長短，租用物品一律用 rent，而物主出租所有東西都用 rent (out)，如 We can rent a car at the airport. (我們可以在機場租車)；We can rent a boat for the weekend. (週末我們可以租一條船)；They rent their office equipment. (他們的辦公設備都是租來的)；Ted rents his apartment from a retired teacher. (泰德的公寓是向一名退休老師租的)；Why don’t you rent out your SUV to your neighbors while you go abroad on business and make some money? (你到國外出差時為何不把你的休旅車出租給鄰居賺點錢呢？)；All her rooms are rented (out) to students. (她的所有房間都租給學生)。
在英式英語中，短期雇人用 hire，如 Cindy’s hiring a private detective to trace her husband. (辛蒂雇了一名私家偵探跟蹤她的先生)；We hired a few temporary salespeople to help sell our new product. (我們雇了幾名臨時推銷員來推銷我們的新產品)。長期雇人用 appoint (任用，聘用) 或 employ (雇用)，如 The school’s going to appoint a new chemistry teacher. (這所學校將聘用一名新的化學老師)；That big company employed 500 people last year. (那家大公司去年雇用了 500 名員工)。
在美式英語中，不論時間長短，雇人一律用 hire，如 Mrs. Smith hired a worker to paint and clean her house yesterday. (史密斯太太昨天雇了一名工人來粉刷和打掃她的房子)；The company has hired a new advertising creative director fairly recently. (公司不久前聘了一位新的廣告創意總監)。