motivates me vs motivate me

Both phrases are correct, but 'Motivates me' refers to a third person or thing that motivates the speaker, while 'motivate me' is used when asking someone to provide motivation directly to the speaker.

Explained by Michele A.
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 25, 2025 • 4898 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"motivates me"

This phrase is used when talking about something or someone that inspires or encourages the speaker.

Examples:

Her success motivates me to work harder.
The thought of helping others motivates me.

Show examples from the web [+]

You see, I know what motivates me.
My lack of progress in this goal motivates me even more.
This motivates me to have a great performance.
What motivates me to win, and I know I will, is my family.
See that people appreciate my products makes me really proud and motivates me every day.
Maintaining that combination of capability and satisfaction as we accelerate our growth is what motivates me every day.
This is the first Polish course that actually motivates me.
All of the truth I mentioned above motivates me.
It motivates me to make sure that I stay on the right path.
This doesn't imply certainty of good results, but I find that it motivates me to act.
I like doing trades and seeing our team do well, but what really motivates me is to build trusting relationships with clients.
What motivates me to commit myself as a Lasallian Volunteer?
What motivates me is pride, sense of duty and sense of being appreciated for my work.
She can now comprehend how Cuba has changed my life; what motivates me to stay, to raise my children here.
I think that is what motivates me when I talk about the faith.
This motivates me to work and make good times for other young people.
The need of portraying emotions through movement and to play different characters on stage motivates me to keep up this often difficult career path.
Our workforce is what makes Colt such a fantastic place to work; every day I learn something new from one of my colleagues, which motivates me to push outside my own comfort zone and develop my skills for growth in my career.
The answer to that is what motivates me to do new things: the notion that you only live once.
Something that motivates me, and gets me really excited about my research, is when I see simple opportunities to drastically change that distribution and make the technology accessible to a much wider percentage of the population.

Alternatives:

inspires me
encourages me
spurs me on
stimulates me
fuels my motivation

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"motivate me"

This phrase is used when asking someone to provide motivation or encouragement directly to the speaker.

Examples:

Can you motivate me to finish this project?
I need someone to motivate me to exercise.

Show examples from the web [+]

She's found the proper way to motivate me.
My employer doesn't have to motivate me - because I like what I do.
Are you trying to motivate me?
My father tried very hard to motivate me into studying, but it didn't work.
I'm calling with a proposition that might motivate me to spare your life.
"it would motivate me more, can she deny me my salary?"
Okay, a-and I should have mentioned this six months ago, but the sports metaphors - y-you want to motivate me, "Magic" cards, "Skyrim," Aziz Ansari.
Okay, a-and I should have mentioned this six months ago, but the sports metaphors - y-you want to motivate me,
It helps motivate me.
He's just trying to motivate me.
Are you trying to motivate me?
He's one of those guys that motivate me.
Maybe I motivate me even for the Swan Mountain Run 2010.
I just need some things to motivate me.
It is unbelievable how much a good conversation with another parent can motivate me.
I hang it over the dining table to help motivate me a bit.
If people are afraid of that, it would motivate me to fight on.
Or maybe shame will motivate me to pay my bills like a normal adult.
And they motivate me to be smarter in preventing future ones.
I just use all of that stuff, and I let it motivate me.

Alternatives:

inspire me
encourage me
spur me on
stimulate me
fuel my motivation

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motivates me vs motivate me

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