The kinetic description of the hydrogen electrode reaction (HER) in the whole range of overpotentials (-0.2 < 17 (V) < 0.40) is presented. The Volmer-Heyrovsky-Tafel mechanism was solved considering simultaneously the following items: (i) the diffusional contribution of the molecular hydrogen from and towards the electrode surface, (ii) the forward and backward reaction rates of each elementary step and (iii) a Frumkin type adsorption for the reaction intermediate. In order to verify the descriptive capability of the kinetic expressions derived, an experimental study of the HER was carried out on a rotating platinum disc electrode in acid solution. From the correlation of these results the elementary kinetic parameters were evaluated and several aspects related to the kinetic mechanism were discussed. Finally, the use of these kinetic expressions to interpret results obtained on microelectrodes is also analysed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.