inquiry
word
/ˌɪnˈkwaɪˌɹi/
in-KWY-ree
/ɪnkwˈaɪəɹi/
in-KWY-ree
Definition
An inquiry is a question or request for information, or a formal investigation into a matter.
Usage & Nuances
'Inquiry' is more formal than 'question' or 'ask.' Common in business, legal, or academic contexts: 'make an inquiry,' 'inquiry into.' The British spelling is 'enquiry,' but both forms are understood and sometimes used differently in UK English.
Spanish: consulta - investigación (formal) - pregunta (formal)Portuguese (BR): consulta - investigação (formal) - pergunta (formal)Portuguese (PT): consulta - investigação (formal) - pergunta (formal)Chinese (Simplified): 咨询 - 查询 - 调查 (正式用语)Chinese (Traditional): 諮詢 - 查詢 - 調查 (正式用語)Hindi: जांच - पूछताछ (औपचारिक)Arabic: استفسار - تحقيق (رسمي)Bengali: প্রশ্ন - তদন্ত (সরকারী অনুসন্ধান)Russian: запрос - расследованиеJapanese: 問い合わせ - 調査Vietnamese: yêu cầu thông tin - cuộc điều traKorean: 문의 - 조사Turkish: soru - soruşturmaUrdu: استفسار - تفتیش (سرکاری تحقیق)Indonesian: pertanyaan - penyelidikan
Example Sentences
Your inquiry has been received and will be answered soon.
basic
I sent an inquiry to customer service, but they never replied.
natural
There will be a full inquiry into what happened last night.
natural
Thanks for your inquiry—we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
natural
She made an inquiry about the job opening.
basic
The police started an inquiry into the accident.
basic