Difference Between: Inquiry vs. Enquiry Inquiry and enquiry sound the same (ɪnkwaɪəri), but have different meanings in British English. Inquiry means ‘official investigation’ – e.g. The government launched an inquiry into corruption. Enquiry means ‘a question about something’ – e.g. The gym received an enquiry about its opening hours. Americans only use inquiry . "Inquiry" and "enquiry" are both correct spellings of the same noun, referring to the same thing . All you have to remember is that they are spelled differently according to the English vocabulary you are using: "inquiry" is preferred in US English, whereas "enquiry" is the British version. Wondering whether to use ' enquiry ' or ' inquiry '? We can clear that up, plus teach you how to use both in a sentence correctly. Learn the difference between " enquiry " and " inquiry " in British and American English. Find out when to use " inquiry " for a formal investigation and " enquiry " for a standard question.