enquire

Enquire and inquire mean the same thing: to ask, to seek information, or to investigate. Enquire is a less common variant of inquire.

Their noun forms—enquiry and inquiry—also have the same meanings: a question, an investigation, a request for information, or the process of seeking information.

Both inquire and enquire are somewhat formal. Some speakers of British English may use both words, preferring enquire in contexts that are less formal. In the U.S., enquire is rarely used.

Here’s an example of enquire used correctly in a sentence.

Example: I’m calling to enquire about the open position.

Inquire could be used in this sentence in the same exact way.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between enquire and inquire.

True or False?

Enquire and inquire have the same meaning.