Ask him vs Inquire

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Ask him

Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Inquire

Formal Beyond 10,000 (less common) B1 verb

Most formal: Inquire Most common: Ask him

	Ask him	Inquire
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ɑːsk hɪm// 🇺🇸 //æsk hɪm//	🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkwaɪər/"]/
Meaning	To request information or help from him.	to ask about something
Example	You should always ask him for advice before making decisions.	I called the school to inquire about the application process.
Register	Neutral	Formal
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	-	B1
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	ask him a question, ask him for help, ask him to join, ask him about his day	inquire about, inquire into, inquire if, inquire regarding, inquire as to
Antonyms	-	ignore, disregard, ignore
Common mistakes	Omitting 'him' and saying just 'ask' without the object., Using incorrect pronouns like 'her' instead of 'him'.	Using 'inquire' instead of 'require'., Confusing 'inquire' with 'enquire' (especially in British English)., Using 'inquire' without a specific subject (e.g., 'I want to inquire the details' instead of 'I want to inquire about the details').
Usage notes	Use 'ask him' in casual or formal conversations when requesting someone to do something or to seek information. Avoid in very formal writing.	Use 'inquire' in formal contexts, such as business or official situations. It's less common in everyday conversation, where 'ask' is preferred. Avoid using it in informal settings.

See it in real clips

He's a robot. So you don't have to ask him to do anything.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Ask him.

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

Do you remember I asked him

He's a robot. So you don't have to ask him to do anything.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Ask him.

Ask him

Frequently asked questions: Ask him vs Inquire

What's the difference between Ask him and Inquire?

Ask him: To request information or help from him. Inquire: to ask about something

Which is more formal: Ask him and Inquire?

Inquire is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Ask him and Inquire?

Ask him is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Ask him: You should always ask him for advice before making decisions. Inquire: I called the school to inquire about the application process.

Can I use Ask him and Inquire interchangeably?

Not always. Ask him and Inquire are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.