Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Tu sonrisa me motivaría a estudiar más cada día. - Your smile would motivate me to study more every day.

Using the conditional tense (motivaría) conveys a hypothetical or potential action – “would motivate me.” In contrast, the present indicative (motiva) states a factual, ongoing reality – “motivates me.”

What is the function of the pronoun me in me motivaría?

Me is an indirect‐object pronoun meaning “to me.” It indicates who receives the action: “Your smile would motivate me.”

Why is there an a before the infinitive estudiar?

In Spanish, certain verbs (including motivar) are followed by the preposition a when you link them to another verb. The pattern is motivar a + infinitive, so you say motivaría a estudiar.

Why use cada día here, and could we say todos los días instead?

Both cada día and todos los días mean “every day.”
• Cada día (each day) highlights one-by-one repetition and can sound a bit more poetic.
• Todos los días (all the days) is equally correct and more neutral.

Why is tu written without an accent in tu sonrisa?

Without an accent, tu is the possessive adjective “your.” With an accent, tú is the subject pronoun “you.” Here we need “your smile,” so it’s tu sonrisa.

Why does the pronoun me come before motivaría instead of being attached to it?

In Spanish, object pronouns precede conjugated verbs. Enclisis (attaching pronouns) only happens with infinitives, gerunds, and affirmative imperatives. Since motivaría is a finite verb, you say me motivaría, not motivaría-me.

Is there a nuance between saying “Tu sonrisa me motivaría…” and “Tu sonrisa me motiva…”?

Yes.
• Me motivaría (conditional) suggests a hypothetical scenario: “Your smile would motivate me (if…).”
• Me motiva (present) affirms a real, current effect: “Your smile motivates me.”