Cool MateHouse vs Household
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
House
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Household
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Most common: House
| House | Household | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/haʊs/","/ˈhaʊzɪz/"]/🇺🇸 /["/haʊs/","/ˈhaʊzɪz/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈhaʊshəʊld/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈhaʊshəʊld/"]/ |
| Meaning | A building where people live. | A group of people living together in a home. |
| Example | I live in a small house near the park. | Everyone in the household contributes to the chores. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | beautiful, comfortable, elegant, live in, occupy, share, be situated, lie, stand, agent, buyer, owner, at somebody’s/the house, from house to house, in a/the house, beautiful, comfortable, elegant, live in, occupy, share, be situated, lie, stand, agent, buyer, owner, at somebody’s/the house, from house to house, in a/the house, beautiful, comfortable, elegant, live in, occupy, share, be situated, lie, stand, agent, buyer, owner, at somebody’s/the house, from house to house, in a/the house, empty, full, packed, play to, lights, manager, bring the house down, front of house | average, domestic, private, maintain, manage, run, appliance, contents, furniture, the head of the household |
| Antonyms | homelessness, abandonment | institution, public space |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'home' which refers more to the emotional concept of a living space., Using 'house' to describe non-residential structures., Mistaking singular 'house' for plural when referring to multiple buildings. | Confused with 'house'—'household' refers to the people, whereas 'house' refers to the building., 'Household' is singular, don't use 'households' when referring to one group., Using 'household' as a verb, when it is only a noun. |
| Usage notes | Use 'house' to refer to a residential building. It's suitable for both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using it for non-residential buildings like schools or offices. | Commonly used to refer to families or individuals sharing a living space. Avoid using in very formal or academic writing without clarification. |
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Frequently asked questions: House vs Household
What's the difference between House and Household?
House: A building where people live. Household: A group of people living together in a home.
Which is more common: House and Household?
House is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: House and Household?
Household is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are House and Household the same CEFR level?
House: A1, Household: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are House and Household?
House: noun, Household: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
House: I live in a small house near the park. Household: Everyone in the household contributes to the chores.
Can I use House and Household interchangeably?
Not always. House and Household are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.