Enquire vs Inquire | Difference, Definitions & Examples
Enquire and inquire are verbs that mean “ask for information.” In American English, “inquire” is more popular. In British English—although both words are used, with “inquire” being slightly more common—“enquire” is sometimes reserved for general matters and “inquire” for more formal investigations.
| Examples: Enquire in a sentence | Examples: Inquire in a sentence |
|---|---|
| I enquired about which restaurants were the best in town. | Stephan called the company to inquire about the job opening. |
| Could you enquire about the cost of the tickets for tonight’s game? | The lawyers inquired about their whereabouts. |
| I always enquire about the possibility of upgrading my flights. | We stopped at the information booth to inquire about the festival’s schedule. |
Enquire definition
“Enquire” is a verb that means “to seek information about something by asking questions.”
“Enquire” is mostly used in British English and is preferred when asking about general matters, like where to eat, what time a store opens, how to get to a nearby landmark, or other trivial concerns.
Timothy often calls me and enquires about my day-to-day doings.
She enquired about how long it takes to get orders processed and delivered.
We enquired about their availability during the summer months.
I will enquire about possibly changing rooms when I go to the reception desk.
Inquire definition
“Inquire” is a verb that means “to investigate or seek information about something by asking questions.”
In British English, “inquire” was traditionally only used when making formal or official requests for information. Nowadays, “inquire” is also used when asking questions about general matters, too (though “enquire” is seldom used for formal requests).
In American English, “inquire” is favored over “enquire,” regardless of the formality or informality of the context.
I called the bakery to inquire about their catering menu for parties.
We inquired about the neighborhood by asking locals what they thought of it.
The doctor inquired about my lifestyle habits, including diet and exercise.
Lorraine inquired about possibly relocating to a different city.
It’s important to clarify that while “inquire” has more formal connotations when compared to “enquire” (in British English), both words are considered more formal than their simple, direct synonym “ask” (in both British and American English).
Formal: I will inquire about their refund policy.
Casual: I will ask about their refund policy.
Enquiry vs inquiry
“Enquiry” and “inquiry” are the noun forms of “enquire” and “inquire,” respectively.
“Enquiry” and “inquiry” both refer to a question or request for information. “Inquiry” is more popular in American English, whereas both words are used in British English (though, like “inquire,” “inquiry” is sometimes reserved for formal requests).
| Examples: Enquiry in a sentence | Examples: Inquiry in a sentence |
|---|---|
| I sent an enquiry to the photographer to ask about his availability. | Journalists have to file formal inquiries to access public records. |
| My morning consisted of replying to several customer enquiries. | After the walk-through, we made several inquiries to the property manager. |
| We made an enquiry at the travel agency about possible destination spots. | The customer had an inquiry about our annual sale. |
Frequently asked questions about enquire vs inquire
- When should I use inquire or enquire?
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“Inquire” is more popular in American English and is used to mean “ask questions about something” (e.g., “I will inquire about prices”).
In British English, “inquire” is also used more frequently, whether seeking information about either general or formal matters. However, “enquire” is also used, but only with informal requests (e.g., “I enquired about the nearest tourist destinations”).
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- In the UK, should I use inquiry or enquiry?
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In British English, the noun “inquiry” has been traditionally defined as a request for information in formal and legal contexts, whereas “enquiry” was used in a broader sense. However, in modern-day usage, “inquiry” is more common in both general and formal contexts, while “enquiry” is still strictly reserved for general matters.
The same distinction applies to the verb forms “enquire” and “inquire.”
