Acquire vs Aquire: Which Spelling Is Correct?

Acquire is the correct spelling in American and British English. Aquire is a misspelling when you mean to obtain something, gain knowledge, develop a skill, or take ownership of property. The easiest way to remember the correct spelling is that acquire begins with ACQ, while aquire is missing the letter C.

Acquire vs Aquire: Quick Comparison

Feature	✅ Acquire	❌ Aquire
Spelling	Correct	Incorrect
Meaning	To obtain, gain, or develop	No separate standard verb meaning
Part of speech	Verb	Not a standard verb
American English	Accepted	Misspelling
British English	Accepted	Misspelling
Example	Acquire new skills	Aquire new skills ❌

Example:

❌ Incorrect: She wants to aquire new skills before applying for a job.

✅ Correct: She wants to acquire new skills before applying for a job.

Why? The correct spelling contains the letter C between A and Q. Both sentences express the same intended meaning, but only the second uses standard English spelling.

What Does Acquire Mean?

Acquire is a verb that means to obtain something, gain possession of it, or develop a skill, quality, or understanding.

You can acquire physical objects such as land, equipment, or property. You can also acquire things that cannot be touched, including knowledge, confidence, and experience.

1. Acquire Knowledge or Skills

Use acquire when someone gains knowledge or develops an ability through learning, training, or experience.

Examples:

• Students acquire vocabulary through reading and conversation.
• Maya acquired valuable leadership skills during her internship.
• You can acquire basic coding skills through regular practice.
• New employees acquire workplace knowledge through training.

💡 Remember: When you acquire a skill, you gain or develop that ability. You do not necessarily buy anything.

2. Acquire Property or Possessions

Acquire can describe obtaining something you can own.

Examples:

• The family plans to acquire a larger house.
• The museum acquired a rare painting for its collection.
• He acquired several antique books from his grandfather.
• The organization hopes to acquire land for a new building.

📌 Important: Acquire does not always mean buy. Someone can acquire property through a purchase, gift, or inheritance.

3. Acquire a Company or Business

In business writing, acquire commonly refers to obtaining ownership or control of a company.

Examples:

• The software company plans to acquire a smaller competitor.
• A national retailer acquired three local stores.
• Investors are discussing acquiring a regional business.
• The corporation hopes to acquire another technology company.

The related noun acquisition describes the act or process of acquiring something, including a business.

How to Remember the Correct Spelling of Acquire

The simplest spelling trick is to remember the first three letters:

A + C + Q = ACQ

✅ Correct spelling	❌ Incorrect spelling
A C Q U I R E	A Q U I R E
Contains C before Q	Missing C
Seven letters	Six letters

Another useful connection is the word acquisition.

Both acquire and acquisition begin with the same three letters: ACQ.

Word-family examples:

• Acquire — ACQ + UIRE
• Acquired — ACQ + UIRED
• Acquiring — ACQ + UIRING
• Acquisition — ACQ + UISITION

💡 Memory Tip: Think of the word acquisition whenever you need to spell acquire. Both words keep the ACQ pattern.

This memory aid applies to this word family. It is not a spelling rule for every English word containing QU.

Acquire, Acquired, Acquiring, and Acquisition

Acquire has several related forms. Understanding them helps you avoid spelling mistakes in different sentences.

Word	Grammar	Example
Acquire	Base verb	I want to acquire new skills.
Acquires	Present tense, third-person singular	She acquires clients through referrals.
Acquired	Past tense or past participle	We acquired new equipment last month.
Acquiring	-ing form	He is acquiring practical experience.
Acquisition	Related noun	The acquisition expanded the company.

Why Does Acquire Become Acquiring?

When you add -ing to acquire, the final E is removed.

✅ Acquire → Acquiring

❌ Acquireing

Example:

• ❌ He is acquireing new skills.
• ✅ He is acquiring new skills.

How Do You Form the Past Tense?

Because acquire already ends in E, you add only D to form the past tense.

✅ Acquire → Acquired

❌ Acquireed

Example:

• ❌ She acquireed a new laptop.
• ✅ She acquired a new laptop.

The key spelling pattern stays the same: every form begins with ACQ.

Common Spelling Mistakes With Acquire

Here are three mistakes that can appear in school assignments, emails, and professional writing.

Mistake 1: Leaving Out the Letter C

❌ Incorrect: We need to aquire more customers.

✅ Correct: We need to acquire more customers.

Explanation: Acquire begins with ACQ. Aquire is missing the C.

Mistake 2: Misspelling the Past Tense

❌ Incorrect: She aquired valuable experience during her internship.

✅ Correct: She acquired valuable experience during her internship.

Explanation: Acquired is the correct past-tense form. The C remains in the spelling.

Mistake 3: Misspelling the -ing Form

❌ Incorrect: The company is aquiring new equipment.

✅ Correct: The company is acquiring new equipment.

Explanation: Acquiring keeps the C and drops the final E before -ing.

Acquire vs Get: What’s the Difference?

Both acquire and get can mean to obtain something. However, acquire often sounds more formal and can emphasize gaining possession, knowledge, or an ability.

Acquire	Get
Often more formal	Common in everyday conversation
Emphasizes obtaining or developing	Has a wider range of meanings
Common in business and academic writing	Common in casual and formal writing
Acquire new skills	Get new skills
Acquire property	Get property
Acquire experience	Get experience

Example 1: Everyday English

“I want to get more experience before changing jobs.”

Example 2: More Formal English

“I want to acquire more experience before changing jobs.”

Both sentences are grammatically correct.

📌 Important: Acquire cannot replace get in every sentence.

For example:

✅ I get what you’re saying.

❌ I acquire what you’re saying.

In this context, get means understand. Acquire does not normally express that meaning.

Writing Tip: Choose acquire when you mean to obtain, gain, or develop something. Use get when it better fits the meaning and tone of your sentence.

Practice: Choose Acquire or Aquire

Test your understanding with these four sentences.

Question 1: She wants to _____ more confidence before her presentation.

A. Acquire

B. Aquire

Question 2: The business _____ a new office last year.

A. Aquired

B. Acquired

Question 3: He is _____ new skills through training.

A. Aquiring

B. Acquiring

Question 4: The company’s latest _____ was announced yesterday.

A. Acquisition

B. Aquisition

Answers and Explanations

Question	Correct Answer	Explanation
1	✅ Acquire	The standard spelling contains ACQ.
2	✅ Acquired	The past tense retains the C.
3	✅ Acquiring	Keep ACQ and remove the final E.
4	✅ Acquisition	The related noun also begins with ACQ.

Quick Reminder: Acquire, acquired, acquiring, and acquisition all begin with the letters ACQ.

Sources

• Cambridge Dictionary — Acquire
• Merriam-Webster — Acquire