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Pastsimple Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary

Gift/present

Hi,

is there any actual difference between a gift and a present?
  

Top answer

No, but they tend to be used in different contexts. A business might advertise a free gift, but never a free present. We buy our kids birthday presents, not birthday gifts.

— Nona the brit

  • No, but they tend to be used in different contexts.
  • A business might advertise a free gift, but never a free present.
  • We buy our kids birthday presents, not birthday gifts.
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3 Answers
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No, but they tend to be used in different contexts.

A business might advertise a free gift, but never a free present.

We buy our kids birthday presents, not birthday gifts.
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A present has a more formal tone to it and seems more tied to an occasion, while a gift can be something fairly trivial. If I have given you my pen, I could tell you to keep it, to consider it a gift -- but not a present. Basically, a present is something that is to be presented, while a gift is something to be given.

By the way, gift also has another meaning as in "a gift from ***."
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I disagree with Ferdis. While I think his explanation sounds valid, I know from usage that you can say ''It's a present', if you give someone a pen because they didn't have one.

I think 'gift' is more formal, and is used in more formal contexts, hence why a company gives gifts, not presents, while family or friends can give gifts or presents.

Also, you can give birthday gifts,
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