אני מנסה לעודד את הילד לפני המבחן, כי הוא לחוץ מאוד.

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Breakdown of אני מנסה לעודד את הילד לפני המבחן, כי הוא לחוץ מאוד.

• אני: I
• הוא: he
• את: direct object marker

Questions & Answers about אני מנסה לעודד את הילד לפני המבחן, כי הוא לחוץ מאוד.

Why is אני included here? Could Hebrew just say מנסה לעודד...?

Yes, Hebrew can sometimes drop subject pronouns, but in the present tense they are often kept because the verb form does not clearly show person.

So מנסה by itself means something like trying, and the context has to tell you whether it is I, you, or he.
Adding אני makes it clear that the subject is I.

So:

• אני מנסה = I am trying
• מנסה = trying / am trying / is trying, depending on context

What exactly is מנסה here? Is it try or am trying?

It is the present-tense form of לנסות = to try.

In Hebrew, the present tense can often match either:

• I try
• I am trying

So אני מנסה לעודד can mean either I try to encourage or I am trying to encourage, depending on context. In this sentence, the most natural English translation is I am trying to encourage.

Why does לעודד start with ל־?