<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001104659-04-000218
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040103
<FILING-DATE>20040106
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GENTZKOW PAUL F
<CIK>0001189353
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10427
<FILM-NUMBER>04509725
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2884 SAND HILL ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 200
<CITY>MENLO PARK
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94025
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HALF ROBERT INTERNATIONAL INC /DE/
<CIK>0000315213
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7363
<IRS-NUMBER>941648752
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2884 SAND HILL RD
<STREET2>STE 200
<CITY>MENLO PARK
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94025
<PHONE>6502346000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2884 SAND HILL ROAD
<STREET2>STE 200
<CITY>MENLO PARK
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94025
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BOOTHE FINANCIAL CORP /DE/
<DATE-CHANGED>19870721
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BOOTHE INTERIM CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19600201
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2004-01-03</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000315213</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HALF ROBERT INTERNATIONAL INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RHI</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189353</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GENTZKOW PAUL F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2884 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>0</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
      <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2004-01-03</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>44722</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>23.68</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>566030</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1052</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>By Older Son</value>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1052</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>By Younger Son</value>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Paul F. Gentzkow</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
