ask

A1 Topic:Communication

Also spelled arsk, arsked, arskin, and ask’n

US /æsk/ UK /ɑːsk/ See IPA manual

Freq #230

Meanings

1

verb
To say something to someone in order to get an answer or information.

I asked them when the bus was coming.
2

verb
To say that you want someone to give or do something.

She asked her boss for a day off.
3

verb
To want a particular price for something.

They are asking $200 for the table.
4

verb
To invite someone to go somewhere or do something.

He asked her to the party.

Verb forms

ask, asked, asked

Multiword verbs with ask

ask about Prepositional verb A1

to inquire or seek information concerning something
ask for Prepositional verb A1

to request or seek something from someone

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to say something to someone... inquire

2 verb · to say that you want... request

4 verb · to invite someone to go... invite

Word family

Derived forms askabilityaskableaskeeaskholemisaskoutaskreaskunask

Appears in

Phrases (4)

See all

ask a question
to address a question to someone in order to find something out

Verb + noun
ask for
to request or seek something from someone

Verb + preposition/particle
ask a favor
request a kind act from someone

Verb + noun
ask about
to inquire or seek information concerning something

Verb + preposition/particle

Proverbs (15)

See all

Simplified etymology

Ask is inherited from Old English.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- Proto-Indo-European *-sḱéti Proto-Indo-European *h₂is-sḱé-ti Proto-Germanic *iskaną Proto-Germanic *aiskaz Proto-West Germanic *aisk Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-West Germanic *-ōn Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn Old English āscian Middle English asken English ask From Middle English asken, axen, from Old English āscian, from Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to wish; request”). Cognate with Sat…

asken Middle English āscian Old English *aiskōn Proto-West Germanic *h₂eys- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication

External links

# ask

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /æsk/
**IPA (UK):** /ɑːsk/
**Frequency rank:** 230

## Meanings
1. To say something to someone in order to get an answer or information.
2. To say that you want someone to give or do something.
3. To want a particular price for something.
4. To invite someone to go somewhere or do something.

## Examples
- I asked them when the bus was coming.
- She asked her boss for a day off.
- They are asking $200 for the table.
- He asked her to the party.

## Derived Forms
- askability
- askable
- askee
- askhole
- misask
- outask
- reask
- unask

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: asken
- Root: āscian
- Root: *aiskōn
- Root: *h₂eys-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- Proto-Indo-European *-sḱéti Proto-Indo-European *h₂is-sḱé-ti Proto-Germanic *iskaną Proto-Germanic *aiskaz Proto-West Germanic *aisk Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-West Germanic *-ōn Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn Old English āscian Middle English asken English ask From Middle English asken, axen, from Old English āscian, from Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to wish; request”). Cognate with Sat…

## AI Etymology
Ask comes from Middle English asken, axen, from Old English āscian, from Proto-West Germanic *aiskōn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eys- (“to wish; request”).

## Topics
- Communication

markdown

ask