Inklingo

How to Say "motivate" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mueven

MWEH-vehn/ˈmwe.βen/

verbB1general
Use 'mueven' when the motivation is to inspire action, often in response to a situation or event, and implies a strong push towards a specific behavior like protesting or reacting.
An energetic cartoon character standing next to a hesitant character, pointing encouragingly toward the top of a steep, green hill, inspiring them to start climbing.

Examples

Las injusticias sociales mueven a los ciudadanos a protestar.

Social injustices motivate the citizens to protest.

Sus palabras siempre me mueven; son muy inspiradoras.

Their words always move me; they are very inspiring.

Ellos mueven grandes cantidades de dinero en la bolsa.

They move (manage/handle) large amounts of money on the stock market.

Confusing Action and Feeling

Mistake: “Me mueven mucho estas películas. (Literal: These movies move me physically.)”

Correction: Me conmueven mucho estas películas. (Using 'conmover' is clearer for emotional impact, though 'mover' is also acceptable in certain contexts.)

muevan

/MWEH-bahn//ˈmwe.βan/

verbB2general
Use 'muevan' when the motivation is to encourage or prompt someone to take action, suggesting a more direct call to participate or engage, especially in formal or persuasive contexts.
A simplified character sitting at a desk. A bright yellow glowing orb touches their shoulder, causing the character to immediately pick up a paintbrush and start painting a vibrant picture.

Examples

Esperamos que sus palabras muevan a la acción a los asistentes.

We hope that their words inspire the attendees to take action.

Dudo que las noticias muevan su corazón de piedra.

I doubt the news will touch their heart of stone.

Subjunctive for Influence

When 'mover' means 'to inspire' or 'to motivate,' it almost always requires the special verb form ('muevan') because it follows a phrase expressing desire, doubt, or influence (e.g., 'Espero que...' or 'Dudo que...').

Choosing between 'mueven' and 'muevan'

Learners often confuse 'mueven' and 'muevan' due to their similar meanings. Remember that 'mueven' (B1) is generally used for inspiring action from external stimuli, while 'muevan' (B2) is more about actively encouraging or prompting specific people to act.

Related Translations

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