Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Enquire for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is enquire — a verb, pronounced in-KWY-er, written /ɪnˈkwaɪə/.
Narrator: To enquire is to ask for information — usually politely, sometimes formally, sometimes simply out of curiosity.
Narrator: It comes from the Old French enquerre and ultimately from the Latin inquirere — in, into, plus quaerere, to seek. So to enquire is, literally, to seek into a matter.
Narrator: The word entered English in the fourteenth century, originally spelled both ways — enquire with an e, and inquire with an i.
Narrator: Over the centuries the two forms have specialised. In modern British English, enquire tends to mean a polite or general request for information, while inquire suggests a formal or official investigation.
Narrator: So you might enquire about train times, but a committee would inquire into a scandal.
Narrator: American English largely collapsed the distinction and uses inquire for everything.
Narrator: Its register is gentle, courteous, slightly more formal than ask. Remember it like this — to enquire is to knock softly on a door before asking your question.
Speaker A: I'm going to pop into the travel agent at lunch to enquire about flights to Lisbon.
Speaker B: Lovely. Why enquire in person when you could just check online?
Speaker A: Because when I enquire face to face they often mention deals that aren't on the website.
Speaker B: Fair point. Quick language question — what's the difference between enquire and inquire, then? I never know which to use.
Speaker A: In British English, enquire with an e is the everyday word — you enquire about a price, a course, a hotel room. Inquire with an i is heavier — a public inquiry, a formal investigation.
Speaker B: Right. So I'd enquire about your weekend, but I wouldn't say I'm going to inquire about your weekend unless I was a detective.
Speaker A: Exactly. Now you've got it.
Speaker B: And how does it differ from ask?
Speaker A: Ask is the neutral, all-purpose verb. Enquire feels a touch more polished, a touch more formal. Customers enquire. Friends ask.
Speaker B: Good distinction. Any common mistake?
Speaker A: Yes — people sometimes write enquire after instead of enquire about. You enquire about a job, not after a job — although enquire after someone's health is a lovely old-fashioned phrase.
Speaker B: So — I rang the hotel to enquire about availability for the weekend.
Speaker A: Perfect. Polite, professional, and exactly the right register.
Enquire — meaning in Arabic & definition More E courses GL Dictionary