I’ll Ask Him in Spanish | Say It Like A Native

Most speakers say “Le preguntaré” or “Le voy a preguntar,” and the best pick depends on timing, formality, and who “him” is in the sentence.

You’ve got a simple English line. Then Spanish shows up with choices. That’s normal. Spanish packs time, tone, and “who gets asked” into tiny pieces: a verb ending, a short pronoun, a polite form. Get those pieces right and your sentence lands clean.

This article gives you the most natural ways to say it, when each one fits, and the small grammar moves that stop you from sounding stiff. You’ll leave with ready-to-use lines for texts, calls, travel, work chats, and formal messages.

I’ll Ask Him in Spanish With Natural Timing

If you want a direct, everyday translation, you’ve got two winners. They differ by timing and vibe.

Option 1: “Le preguntaré”

“Le preguntaré” means “I will ask him.” It’s a straight future form. It works well when the asking is clearly later, or when you’re making a clean promise.

• Use it when: the asking is later, planned, or you’re making a firm commitment.
• Feel: neat, certain, a touch formal in casual chat.

Option 2: “Le voy a preguntar”

“Le voy a preguntar” is the go-to in daily speech. It’s close to “I’m going to ask him.” In real conversations, it often replaces the simple future.

• Use it when: you’re about to do it, or it’s the next step in a plan.
• Feel: relaxed, conversational, human.

Fast picks you can steal

• Right now: “Ya le pregunto.”
• In a bit: “Ahorita le pregunto.”
• Later today: “Más tarde le pregunto.”
• When I see him: “Cuando lo vea, le pregunto.”

What “Him” Turns Into In Spanish

English uses “him” for a lot of jobs. Spanish forces you to choose the job. In this sentence, “him” is usually the person you ask to. That’s an indirect object, so Spanish uses le.

Why “Le” Shows Up So Often

When you ask someone a question, the person is typically the recipient of the question. Spanish marks that recipient with an indirect object pronoun: le (singular) or les (plural).

If you want a quick reality check, say the longer version out loud: “Voy a preguntar a él.” Then swap “a él” for “le.” Same meaning, cleaner sentence.

When It’s “Lo” Instead

Sometimes English “him” is the direct object, like “I saw him” or “I met him.” Then Spanish often uses lo (or la for “her”). With “ask,” that setup is less common, but it happens in certain phrasing.

Two patterns that change the pronoun

• Ask him something: “Le pregunté la hora.” (I asked him the time.)
• Ask about him: “Pregunté por él.” (I asked about him.)

Pick The Right Verb: “Preguntar” Vs “Pedir”

English “ask” covers two ideas: asking a question and asking for something. Spanish splits them most of the time.

Use “Preguntar” For Questions

If you’re asking information, you’re in “preguntar” territory: names, directions, prices, opinions, details.

Use “Pedir” For Requests

If you’re asking for something, Spanish often uses “pedir”: a favor, permission, a drink, a service.

Quick contrast

• Question: “Le voy a preguntar si viene.” (I’m going to ask him if he’s coming.)
• Request: “Le voy a pedir que venga.” (I’m going to ask him to come.)

Sentence Patterns That Sound Natural

Once you’ve got the pronoun and verb, the next win is structure. Spanish has a few patterns that show up everywhere in real speech.

Pattern 1: Ask + if

Le voy a preguntar si… is one of the most useful frames you can learn.

• “Le voy a preguntar si está libre.”
• “Le preguntaré si puede mañana.”

Pattern 2: Ask + what/where/when/how

Spanish uses question words the way English does, but you’ll often keep the sentence flowing without a hard pause.

• “Le voy a preguntar qué pasó.”
• “Le preguntaré dónde queda.”
• “Ya le pregunto cuándo llega.”

Pattern 3: Ask + to do something

When “ask” means “request,” you’ll often see pedir or a “preguntar” workaround that’s less direct.

• “Le voy a pedir que me ayude.”
• “Le voy a preguntar si me puede ayudar.”

Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes

Most errors come from copying English structure word-for-word. Here are the traps that show up the most, plus fixes you can use right away.

Mixing up “Le” and “Lo”

If “him” is the person receiving the question, start with le. If you catch yourself guessing, expand it: “a él” becomes “le.”

Using future tense when you mean “right now”

English “I’ll ask him” often means “I’m about to ask him.” Spanish usually prefers present or “ir a” for that.

• About to do it: “Ya le pregunto.”
• Planned later: “Le preguntaré.”

Using “Preguntar” when you’re ordering or requesting

If you’re asking for a coffee, a meeting, a refund, or permission, “pedir” often fits better than “preguntar.”

Dropping the pronoun when clarity needs it

Spanish can drop subjects (“yo”), but object pronouns like “le” carry meaning. If you remove “le,” you often remove who you’re asking.

Best Translations By Situation

Here’s where the sentence meets real life. Use these as templates and swap in your own details.

Texting a friend

• “Ya le pregunto y te digo.”
• “Dale, le voy a preguntar.”

Work chat or email tone

• “Le preguntaré y le confirmo.”
• “Voy a preguntarle y le aviso.”

Talking to a clerk or staff member

• “Ahora le pregunto al encargado.”
• “Permítame, le voy a preguntar.”

When you need extra politeness

You can soften the line without getting wordy. Add a courtesy phrase, then keep the core sentence simple.

• “Si le parece, le pregunto.”
• “Un momento, por favor; le voy a preguntar.”

Translation Options You Can Reuse

Below is a broad set of ready-made versions. They cover timing, formality, and what you’re asking. The verbs and pronouns follow standard usage for “preguntar” and indirect-object “le/les.” You can double-check the verb’s common constructions in the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas entry for “preguntar”, and confirm indirect-object pronoun rules in the RAE note on “le/les” as indirect objects.

When It Fits	Spanish Line	Tone And Notes
Right now, you’ll do it next	Ya le pregunto.	Short, natural, common in speech.
Right now, slightly softer	Ahorita le pregunto.	Friendly; “ahorita” varies by region.
In a moment	Enseguida le pregunto.	Clear timing; works in service settings.
Later today	Más tarde le pregunto.	Casual; good for texts.
Planned for later	Le preguntaré.	Firm; neat future tense.
You’ll ask when you see him	Cuando lo vea, le pregunto.	Natural conditional timing without fancy phrasing.
You’ll ask and report back	Le pregunto y te digo.	Fast, conversational rhythm.
You’re asking a yes/no question	Le voy a preguntar si viene.	“Si…” frame; easy to reuse.
You’re asking a detail	Le voy a preguntar qué pasó.	Question-word frame; sounds fluent.

Conjugation Notes That Keep You From Freezing

You don’t need to memorize every tense to say this line well. You need two forms: the simple future (“preguntaré”) and the “ir a + infinitive” form (“voy a preguntar”).

“Preguntaré” is one word

It’s the “yo” future form of “preguntar.” If you like having a quick reference for the full chart, the SpanishDict conjugation table for “preguntar” lays it out in one place.

“Voy a preguntar” is two verbs working as a team

“Voy” carries the time feel. “Preguntar” carries the meaning. Then “le” slots in before the first verb: “Le voy a preguntar.” That placement is what you’ll hear most.

Make It Yours With Small Add-Ons

Once the core sentence feels easy, you can add small pieces that match your situation. Keep them short. Spanish sounds best when it stays tidy.

Add what you’re asking

• “Le voy a preguntar la dirección.”
• “Le preguntaré el precio.”
• “Ya le pregunto el nombre.”

Add who you’re asking for clarity

If “him” could be unclear, name the person after the verb phrase.

• “Le voy a preguntar a Carlos.”
• “Le preguntaré al jefe.”

Add your follow-up promise

• “Le pregunto y te aviso.”
• “Le preguntaré y le confirmo.”
• “Ya le pregunto y te cuento.”

A Short Checklist Before You Say It

If you’re stuck choosing a version, run this quick checklist. It takes five seconds and saves you from awkward phrasing.

Your Situation	Go With	Reason
You’ll ask right away	Ya le pregunto.	Matches “about to” timing.
You’ll ask soon, casual tone	Le voy a preguntar.	Most natural in daily speech.
You mean later, planned	Le preguntaré.	Clear future commitment.
You’re asking for an action	Le voy a pedir que…	“Pedir” fits requests better.
You’re asking about him	Voy a preguntar por él.	“Por” marks “about.”

Ready-To-Use Lines

Here are a few polished lines that work across settings. Say them once or twice out loud. Your mouth learns faster than your eyes.

Casual

• “Dame un segundo, ya le pregunto.”
• “Va, le voy a preguntar y te digo.”

Neutral

• “Le voy a preguntar y le confirmo.”
• “Más tarde le pregunto y le aviso.”

More formal

• “Le preguntaré y le informaré.”
• “Permítame un momento; le preguntaré.”

If you stick to “le” for the person you’re asking, choose “ya” or “voy a” for near timing, and save “preguntaré” for clear later timing, your Spanish will sound smooth and confident.