2 syllables: in, quire. Stress on quire.
in-KWEYER
/ˌɪnˈkwaɪɹ/
inquire is pronounced in-KWEYER (/ˌɪnˈkwaɪɹ/). It has two syllables (in-quire), with the stress on "quire". Inquire is a verb meaning to ask for information or investigate something through questions or formal inquiry. It often implies a careful, purposeful seeking of knowledge, sometimes in a polite or official context. The term can also appear in nouns like inquiry and inquisitive, but inquire itself is the action of asking or investigating.
Inquire is a verb meaning to ask for information or investigate something through questions or formal inquiry. It often implies a careful, purposeful seeking of knowledge, sometimes in a polite or official context. The term can also appear in nouns like inquiry and inquisitive, but inquire itself is the action of asking or investigating.
"She will inquire about the status of her application with the admissions office."
"The journalist asked several questions to inquire into the scandal."
"If you’re unsure, you should inquire at the front desk for exact directions."
US/UK/AU: /ɪnˈkwaɪər/ (in-KWY-ər). The primary stress is on the second syllable, with the /kwaɪ/ diphthong forming the core. Start with a short, lightly aspirated initial /ɪ/ vowel, move into a rounded /kw/ onset, glide into the /aɪ/ as in 'eye,' and finish with a schwa-like or light /ər/ depending on accent. Think: in-KWY-er, with the second syllable carrying emphasis. An audio model would reinforce the /ɪn/ onset, /ˈkwaɪ/ nucleus, and final /ər/.
Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing the stress, pronouncing as in-QUIR-e or in-KWIR-e; (2) Slurring the /kw/ cluster into a simple /k/ or /w/; (3) Final /ər/ realized as a full syllabic /ɜːr/ or /ər/ without reducing to a softer /ər/. Correction: hold stress on the second syllable: in-KWY-ər; keep a crisp /kw/ burst after /ɪn/ and end with a light, mid-central /ər/ rather than a full vowel. Practice by isolating /ɪn/ then /ˈkwaɪ/ and finish with a gentle /ər/.
US tends to pronounce /ɪnˈkwaɪər/ with a rhotacized ending /ər/ and a clear /ˈkwaɪ/; UK often features a slightly less rhotic /ə/ in the final syllable, sometimes sounding like /ɪnˈkwaɪə/; Australian English aligns with non-rhotic tendencies, often close to /ɪnˈkwaɪə/. In all, the major vowel sound in the second syllable remains /aɪ/; the main variation is the quality and rhoticity of the final vowel. Listen for how strongly the /r/ is pronounced in US English compared to UK/AU.
The difficulty centers on the /ˈkwaɪ/ sequence after a short initial /ɪn/. The combination of /kw/ onset and /aɪ/ diphthong requires precise tongue positioning: a tight lip rounding then rapid glide from /k/ to /w/ to a high front diphthong. The final /ər/ in American English adds a schwa plus rhotic consonant that can be subtle in non-rhotic variants. Mastering the two-syllable stress shift and the consonant cluster is key.
A common nuance is the transition from /ɪ/ to /n/ to /ˈkwaɪ/: you move quickly from the alveolar nasal to the velar-onset cluster, then into a bright diphthong. Ensure your jaw drops slightly at the /ɪn/ onset and clamps modestly for /ˈkwaɪ/. The unique element is the /kwaɪ/ cluster that anchors the word’s identity, so practice the exact mouth shape for /k/ + /w/ + /aɪ/ before relaxing into final /ər/.
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Inquire comes from the Latin quaerere, meaning to seek, ask, or deserve. The word entered Old French as enquere (later in English as enquire) and gradually shifted to inquire in Middle English with the modern spelling established by the 16th century. The root quaer- is found in many related terms such as query, quest, inquire, inquire-; it expresses the act of seeking information. The evolution from Latin quaerere to English inquisitive or inquire reflects the broader semantic field of asking and investigating. In Early Modern English, inquire carried a formal nuance, often used in legal or scholarly contexts, and remains common in formal writing today. The spelling shift from enquere to inquire aligns with a general English trend toward -ire spellings during the Renaissance, while pronunciation gradually settled toward /ɪnˈkwaɪər/ in most dialects. First known use records appear in late medieval texts, with robust attestations in 15th- and 16th-century legal and ecclesiastical documents, signaling its established role in discourse about information gathering and examination.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "inquire" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "inquire" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "inquire"
-ire sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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