<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001104659-04-021569
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040728
<FILING-DATE>20040729
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BUCKLEY MICHAEL C
<CIK>0001280300
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10427
<FILM-NUMBER>04940347
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ROBERT HALF INTERNATIONAL INC
<STREET2>5720 STONERIDGE DR STE 3
<CITY>PLEASANTON
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94588
</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"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-07-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000315213</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HALF ROBERT INTERNATIONAL INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RHI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001280300</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BUCKLEY MICHAEL C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5720 STONERIDGE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PLEASANTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94588</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President, Finance</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-07-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35799</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option  Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>28.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-07-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-07-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Granted pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan, a Rule 16b-3 Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This grant becomes exercisable in four equal installments on each of October 22, 2004, October 22, 2005, October 22, 2006 and October 22, 2007.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael C. Buckley</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-07-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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