potivati

Potivati is a verb in several South Slavic languages, notably Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Macedonian, meaning "to encourage," "to motivate," or "to support." It is derived from the Slavic root *poti-* which conveys the sense of moving forward or urging, combined with the suffix *-vati* that forms verbs. The noun form, potiva, refers to encouragement or support.

The verb is commonly used in everyday speech to describe giving someone moral or emotional support, urging them to persist, or providing material help. For instance, a coach may potivati his team before a competition, or a parent may potivati a child to study hard. The adjective "potivajući" describes something that is encouraging or supportive.

Conjugation follows the regular pattern for -ati verbs. For example, the present tense includes potivam, potivaš, potiva, potivamo, potivate, potivaju.

Potivati is often contrasted with the aggravating verb "odbijati" (to discourage) and is related in meaning to the English words "encourage" and "motivate." Synonyms within the same language include podsticati, motivirati, i podržavati. The term can also be employed metaphorically: a new idea can potivati further innovation.

In literature, potivati frequently appears in motivational speeches, autobiographies, and political rhetoric, underscoring its role in shaping positive action and collective effort.