I was looking for an answer vs Inquire

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

I was looking for an answer

Top 2000 (courant)

Inquire

FormelAu-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)B1verb
Le plus formel: InquireLe plus courant: I was looking for an answer
 I was looking for an answerInquire
Prononciation🇬🇧 //aɪ wəz ˈlʊkɪŋ fə(r) ən ˈɑːnsə//🇺🇸 //aɪ wəz ˈlʊkɪŋ fɔr æn ˈænsər//🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈkwaɪər/"]/
SensI tried to find a reply.demander des infosto ask about something
ExempleI was looking for an answer to the math problem.I called the school to inquire about the application process.
RegistreNeutreFormel
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)
Niveau CEFR-B1
Nature grammaticaleverb
Collocationslooking for help, looking for information, looking for guidanceinquire about, inquire into, inquire if, inquire regarding, inquire as to
Antonymes-ignore, disregard, ignore
Erreurs fréquentesUsing 'looking for' with uncountable nouns., Omitting the object after 'looking for'., Confusing with 'searching for', which is more formal.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').
Notes d'usageCommonly used when seeking information. Appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid in overly casual settings.On utilise 's'enquérir' dans des contextes formels, comme dans le monde des affaires ou des situations officielles. C'est moins courant dans la conversation de tous les jours, où l'on préfère 'demander'. Évite de l'utiliser dans des situations informelles.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.

Vois-le dans de vrais extraits

I was looking for an answer

Questions fréquentes : I was looking for an answer vs Inquire

Quelle est la différence entre I was looking for an answer et Inquire ?

I was looking for an answer: I tried to find a reply. Inquire: to ask about something

Lequel est le plus formel : I was looking for an answer et Inquire ?

Inquire est le plus formel de tous.

Lequel est le plus courant : I was looking for an answer et Inquire ?

I was looking for an answer est le plus courant dans l'anglais de tous les jours.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

I was looking for an answer: I was looking for an answer to the math problem. Inquire: I called the school to inquire about the application process.

Puis-je utiliser I was looking for an answer et Inquire de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. I was looking for an answer et Inquire sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.

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