Cool MateNotify vs To inform you
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Notify
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
To inform you
Top 2,000 (common)
| Notify | To inform you | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪ/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪd/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪ/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪz/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪd/","/ˈnəʊtɪfaɪɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //tə ɪnˈfɔːm jʊ//🇺🇸 //tə ɪnˈfɔrm jʊ// |
| Meaning | to tell someone about something | To tell you something important. |
| Example | Competition winners will be notified by post. | I want to inform you about the meeting tomorrow. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | forthwith, immediately, promptly, be obliged to, be required to, must, of, to | inform you of, inform you about, require to inform, inform you subsequently, hope to inform |
| Antonyms | ignore, neglect, overlook | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'notify' without an object (e.g., saying 'I will notify' instead of 'I will notify you')., Confusing 'notify' with 'inform' — while similar, 'notify' implies a more formal notification., Mixing up prepositions (e.g., saying 'notify with' instead of 'notify about') | Often used incorrectly as 'inform about'., Confused with 'to notify you'., Using too many formal words makes it sound unnatural. |
| Usage notes | Use 'notify' in situations where you are formally informing someone, like in business or official contexts. Avoid in casual conversations. | Use 'to inform you' to notify someone of important news or updates. It’s suitable for both formal and casual contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Notify vs To inform you
What's the difference between Notify and To inform you?
Notify: to tell someone about something To inform you: To tell you something important.
Can you show an example of each?
Notify: Competition winners will be notified by post. To inform you: I want to inform you about the meeting tomorrow.
Can I use Notify and To inform you interchangeably?
Not always. Notify and To inform you are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.