Confusing Motivar with Motivo

When you motivate a specific person, you must use the word 'a' before their name or the noun describing them (e.g., 'Motivar a Juan').

The 'Personal A'

If you want to say you motivate someone *to do* something, use 'a' before the second verb: 'Me motiva a trabajar'.

Connecting Actions

Use 'motivar' when talking about career goals or sports; it sounds much more active and professional than just 'querer'.

How to sound natural

Very common word used in everyday conversation, work, and education.

In this formal sense, the thing being caused is usually the direct focus (e.g., 'motivar el cambio').

Object focus

Avoid using 'motivar' as 'to cause' in casual speech; use 'causar' or 'provocar' instead to sound more natural.

Formal Contexts

Common in legal, scientific, or formal writing.

Yes, especially in formal or legal settings, it means providing the evidence or logic behind a decision.

Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all -ar verbs in all tenses.

'Motivar' is often about giving a logical reason or goal to act, while 'animar' is more about cheering someone up or encouraging them emotionally.

Learn how to use the Spanish verb 'motivar'. Includes full conjugation tables, meanings ranging from 'to inspire' to 'to cause', and real-world examples.

Motivar Meaning, Conjugation & Usage in Spanish | InkLingo

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motivar

to motivate

📝 In Action

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

to cause

📝 In Action

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

Indicative

Preterite

Imperfect

Present

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