Translation guide
The English verb 'encourage' covers a range of supportive actions: giving someone confidence, urging them to do something, or fostering a behavior or development. Japanese expresses these through different verbs and phrases depending on the nuance.
To make someone feel more hopeful, confident, or determined, often through words or presence.
The most direct equivalent for giving emotional encouragement, cheering someone up, or boosting their spirits.
友達が落ち込んでいたので、励ました。
My friend was feeling down, so I encouraged them.
先生の言葉に励まされた。
I was encouraged by my teacher's words.
Literally 'to give energy,' used when you cheer someone up or lift their mood.
彼女を元気づけようと、冗談を言った。
I told a joke to try to encourage her.
To give courage, often used when someone is facing a challenge or fear.
彼の成功は多くの若者を勇気づけた。
His success encouraged many young people.
To strongly advise or motivate someone to take a specific action.
To recommend or advise someone to do something, often with a sense of encouragement.
医者は私に運動を勧めた。
The doctor encouraged me to exercise.
彼は私に留学を勧めてくれた。
He encouraged me to study abroad.
To prompt or urge someone to do something, often used in formal or written contexts.
A straightforward way to say 'told someone to do something' with an encouraging tone, often softened with 〜てみたら or similar.
母は私に料理を習うように言った。
My mother encouraged me to learn cooking.
To create conditions that help something grow or happen, like a habit, activity, or economic growth.
To promote or accelerate something, such as economic growth, trade, or a positive trend.
新しい政策が経済成長を促進した。
The new policy encouraged economic growth.
To foster or encourage, but often carries a negative nuance of promoting something undesirable (e.g., bad habits, inflation). Use with care.
Often used for negative things like crime or laziness. For positive encouragement, 促進する is safer.
甘やかしは子供のわがままを助長する。
Spoiling encourages selfishness in children.
To officially encourage or promote something, like a government encouraging energy conservation.
市は自転車通勤を奨励している。
The city encourages commuting by bicycle.
励ます is for emotional support (cheering up), while 勧める is for recommending an action. Saying 友達に留学を励ました would be unnatural; use 勧めた instead.
友達を励ました。（○）
I encouraged my friend (emotionally).
友達に留学を勧めた。（○）
I encouraged my friend to study abroad.
励ます cannot take a verb phrase as its object. To say 'encourage someone to do something,' use 勧める, 促す, or a phrase like 〜するように言う.
政府は企業に投資を促している。
The government is encouraging companies to invest.