While the words "employ" and "hire" are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences in their meanings and usage. Generally, "employ" refers to the state of having someone work for you, while "hire" refers to the act of employing someone. Think of "employ" as the ongoing relationship, and "hire" as the initial action that starts that relationship.

Here's a breakdown to help you understand better:

Employ:

• Meaning: To give someone a job; to make use of someone's services.
• Focus: The ongoing relationship between employer and employee.
• Example: "The company employs over 500 people." (This means the company has 500 people working for it.)
• Translation Example: "The company employs over 500 people." (This sentence means the same in translation)

Hire:

• Meaning: To employ someone, especially temporarily.
• Focus: The act of taking on a new employee.
• Example: "The construction company hired five new workers for the summer." (This means the company gave jobs to five new workers only for the summer.)
• Translation Example: "The construction company hired five new workers for the summer." (This sentence means the same in translation)

Here are a few more examples to show the difference in context:

• Employ: "She's been employed by the bank for ten years." (Focuses on the duration of her employment.)
• Hire: "They hired a consultant to help with the project." (Focuses on the act of bringing in a new person to work on a specific task.)

Notice that while "hire" often implies a temporary arrangement, it doesn't have to. You can use "hire" to describe a permanent position, but "employ" always implies a longer-term working relationship.

Happy learning!