Ask vs. Ask For

• Don’t ask him his age.

Ask for is used to ask somebody to give something.

• Don’t ask me for money.

Ask can be followed by an object.

• Ask him.

When ask is followed by two objects, the indirect object (the person) usually comes first.

• Ask him his name. (NOT Ask his name to him.)

Infinitive structures after ask

Ask can be followed by an infinitive.

• I asked to leave. (= I asked permission to leave.)

Ask + object + infinitive is also possible.

• I asked him to leave. (= I wanted him to leave.)