motivare

Motivare is an Italian transitive verb meaning to provide a reason or justification for something, or to inspire or encourage someone to act. In everyday language it is used to justify a decision, a claim, or an action, and in organizational or legal contexts it often means to document the basis for a ruling, policy, or transfer.

Etymology and meaning notes: Motivare derives from the noun motivo, meaning motive or reason, which in turn is connected with the idea of movement or justification. The term is closely related to motivazione (motivation) and to adjectives such as motivante (motivating) and motivato (motivated).

Grammar and usage: Motivare is a regular -are verb, and follows standard conjugation patterns for the first conjugation. Examples in present indicative include io motivo, tu motivi, lui/lei motiva, noi motiviamo, voi motivate, loro motivano. It is commonly used with direct objects that express what is being justified or explained, for example motivare una decisione (to justify a decision) or motivare una richiesta (to justify a request). In legal or administrative writing, it is common to find phrases like motivare l’esito, motivare una scelta.

Related terms and nuance: The noun motivazione refers to motivation or justification as a concept. Motivare should not be confused with synonyms like stimolare (to stimulate) or incentivare (to incentivize), which emphasize encouragement rather than justification. In practice, motivated by context, motivare covers both the act of giving reasons and the act of spurring action through justification.