1 C1 formal
To formally or politely ask a person for specific information.
"She inquired of the receptionist whether the manager was available."
inseparable
inquire of
C1 formal inseparable transitive
To formally ask someone for information or an answer to a specific question.
In plain English
To formally ask a person for information.
What does "inquire of" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Very formal and old-fashioned. More common in older literature, legal writing, or very formal correspondence. In modern everyday speech, 'ask' is almost always used instead. Phrasing: 'inquire of someone whether/what/how'.
Words that pair with "inquire of"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
colleague officer secretary representative whether what
How to conjugate "inquire of"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
inquire of
I/you/we/they
3rd person
inquires of
he/she/it
Past simple
inquired of
yesterday
Past participle
inquired of
have + pp
-ing form
inquiring of
continuous
Hear "inquire of" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "inquire of" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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