B1 Pedir vs Preguntar — two ways to “ask”

Both translate as “to ask”, but:

Pedir — to ask FOR something (a request)

Pido un café.	I ask for a coffee.
Me pidió ayuda.	He asked me for help.

Pregunté la hora.	I asked the time.
Me preguntó cómo estaba.	She asked me how I was.

So: pedir = request/order; preguntar = seek information. Conjugate pedir (it’s irregular).