1 A2 neutral
To give completed work or an assignment to a teacher, employer, or authority.
"Please hand in your essays by Friday afternoon at the latest."
separable
hand in
A2 neutral separable transitive
To submit or deliver something, especially work or a formal item, to someone in authority.
In plain English
To give your work or something official to a person who is in charge.
What does "hand in" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To formally resign from a job by giving notice.
"After the argument with her boss, Maria decided to hand in her resignation."
separable
3 B1 neutral
To surrender or deliver something to an authority, such as a weapon or found item.
"Members of the public were encouraged to hand in any illegal weapons at the police station."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use your hand to move something inward to another person.
Actually means
To give your work or something official to a person who is in charge.
Usage tip
Extremely common in academic and workplace contexts. 'Hand in your homework' and 'hand in your resignation' are fixed collocations. British English tends to prefer 'hand in'; American English also uses 'turn in' frequently.
Words that pair with "hand in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
homework essay assignment notice resignation passport report
How to conjugate "hand in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hand in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hands in
he/she/it
Past simple
handed in
yesterday
Past participle
handed in
have + pp
-ing form
handing in
continuous
Hear "hand in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hand in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "hand in"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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