Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'motivate'

English Word: motivate

Key Russian Translations:

• мотивировать [mɐˈtʲivʲɪrəvətʲ] - [Formal, often used in professional or educational contexts]
• стимулировать [stʲɪmʊˈlʲirəvətʲ] - [Formal, interchangeable but with a slight emphasis on external incentives]
• вдохновлять [vdɐxˈnovlʲɪtʲ] - [Informal or emotional contexts, less direct than 'motivate']

Frequency: Medium (Common in modern Russian, especially in business, education, and self-help literature, but not as frequent as everyday verbs like 'делать').

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires familiarity with borrowed words and verb conjugations. 'мотивировать' is straightforward for learners at this level, while 'вдохновлять' may vary slightly in nuance.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мотивировать: [mɐˈtʲivʲɪrəvətʲ]

стимулировать: [stʲɪmʊˈlʲirəvətʲ]

вдохновлять: [vdɐxˈnovlʲɪtʲ]

Note on мотивировать: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the soft 'тʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. Pronunciation can vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To encourage or inspire someone to act or achieve a goal

Translation(s) & Context:

• мотивировать - Used in formal settings like workplaces or coaching, where external motivation is implied.
• стимулировать - Applied in contexts involving rewards or incentives, such as economics or psychology.
• вдохновлять - More emotional or creative contexts, like art or personal development.

Usage Examples:

• Мой тренер всегда мотивирует меня достигать новых высот в тренировках.

  My coach always motivates me to reach new heights in my training.

• Компания стимулирует сотрудников бонусами за хорошую работу.

  The company motivates employees with bonuses for good work.

• Её речь вдохновляет молодёжь заниматься волонтёрством.

  Her speech motivates young people to engage in volunteering.

• Книга по саморазвитию мотивирует читателей изменить свою жизнь.

  The self-development book motivates readers to change their lives.

• Родители должны стимулировать детей в учёбе, а не только вдохновлять.

  Parents should motivate children in their studies, not just inspire them.

To provide a reason or incentive for an action

Translation(s) & Context:

• мотивировать - In analytical or problem-solving contexts, e.g., in psychology.
• вдохновлять - In broader, inspirational scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Что мотивирует людей выбирать здоровый образ жизни?

  What motivates people to choose a healthy lifestyle?

• Финансовые цели часто стимулируют инвестировать в будущее.

  Financial goals often motivate investing in the future.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. 'Мотивировать' and 'стимулировать' are first-conjugation verbs (from foreign roots), while 'вдохновлять' is a second-conjugation verb. They exhibit regular inflections but with some irregularities in perfective aspects.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular forms, but aspect pairs exist (e.g., perfective 'замотивировать' for completed action).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • стимулировать (more incentive-focused)
  • вдохновлять (more emotionally driven, often in creative fields)
  • побуждать (to prompt or incite, used in formal writing)
• Antonyms:
  • демотивировать (to demotivate, directly opposite)
  • отпугивать (to discourage or repel)
  • угнетать (to oppress or suppress motivation)

Related Phrases:

• мотивирующая речь - A motivational speech (used in public speaking to inspire action).
• стимулирующий фактор - A stimulating factor (refers to elements that encourage behavior, e.g., in psychology).
• вдохновляющий пример - An inspiring example (often in educational or biographical contexts).
• самомотивация - Self-motivation (a key concept in personal development).

Usage Notes:

'Мотивировать' is the most direct equivalent to 'motivate' in English and is commonly used in professional settings, but it may sound formal. Choose 'вдохновлять' for more emotional or artistic contexts to capture nuances. Be aware of aspect in Russian verbs: use imperfective forms like 'мотивировать' for ongoing actions and perfective forms like 'замотивировать' for completed ones. In casual speech, Russians might prefer native words over borrowings, so 'вдохновлять' could feel more natural.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'мотивировать' interchangeably with 'вдохновлять' without considering context. Incorrect: Я мотивирую друзей пойти в кино (implies structured encouragement). Correct: Я вдохновляю друзей пойти в кино (better for casual inspiration). Explanation: 'Мотивировать' suggests a goal-oriented approach, while 'вдохновлять' is more about emotional spark.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugations, e.g., saying 'он мотивируется' instead of 'он мотивирует' for transitive use. Incorrect: Он мотивирует себя (wrong reflexive form). Correct: Он мотивирует себя (actually correct if reflexive, but ensure proper context). Explanation: English learners often confuse reflexive and non-reflexive forms in Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, motivation is often tied to collective efforts, as seen in Soviet-era propaganda or modern self-help trends. Words like 'вдохновлять' carry connotations of historical figures like Pushkin, emphasizing personal inspiration over external rewards, which contrasts with Western individualistic approaches.

Related Concepts:

• цель (goal)
• амбиция (ambition)
• саморазвитие (self-development)
• стимул (incentive)