Spanish Phrase
¿Cómo motivaste a los demás?
Meaning
This question asks someone to explain the way they encouraged or inspired other people. It focuses on the method or strategy the speaker used in the past.
When to use
Use it after a team project, a community event, or any situation where you want to learn from someone's leadership style. It works well in both formal and informal settings, especially when discussing teamwork, coaching, or personal development.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Cómomotivastealosdemás?
¿Cómo?
Interrogative adverb meaning 'how'. It introduces a question about manner or method.
motivaste
Preterite (simple past) of the verb 'motivar' for 'tú' (second‑person singular). Indicates a completed action in the past.
a (personal a)
The personal 'a' marks a direct object that refers to a specific person or group of people.
los demás
A plural noun phrase meaning 'the others' or 'other people'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo motivaste a los demás durante la campaña de reciclaje?
How did you motivate the others during the recycling campaign?
Les mostré ejemplos concretos y les di pequeños retos diarios; eso los mantuvo entusiasmados.
I showed them concrete examples and gave them small daily challenges; that kept them enthusiastic.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Cómo motivó a los demás?
‘Motivó’ is third‑person singular (él/ella/usted). The question is addressed to ‘tú’, so the correct form is ‘motivaste’.
¿Cómo motivaste al demás?
‘El demás’ refers to a single other person; the phrase asks about a group, so use ‘los demás’.
↔Alternatives
¿De qué manera motivaste a los demás?
In what way did you motivate the others?
¿Cómo lograste motivar a los demás?
How did you manage to motivate the others?
¿Qué técnicas usaste para motivar a los demás?
What techniques did you use to motivate the others?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking cultures a direct question like this is perfectly acceptable, but if you want to sound more polite you can add a softener: "¿Podrías contarme cómo motivaste a los demás?" Also, remember that "los demás" refers to a group; for a single person you would say "el/la demás" (though it is rarely used).