предлагать vs предложить

predlagát' vs predlozhít' — offer/suggest generally vs make a specific offer

What it really means

Предлагать is used for a general, repeated, or ongoing offer or suggestion. Предложить presents one concrete offer, idea, or plan as put forward; both can take an object, an infinitive, or кому-то + что-то.

Examples in natural speech

На встречах он предлагает практичные идеи.
At meetings he suggests practical ideas.
Она предложила помощь соседке.
She offered her neighbour help.
В кафе предлагают сезонный суп.
The café offers a seasonal soup.
Могу предложить другой вариант.
I can suggest another option.
Менеджер предложил перенести встречу.
The manager suggested postponing the meeting.

Common mistakes

Do not choose предложить just because the suggestion concerns the future. В меню предлагают суп is a continuing availability, whereas официант предложил суп means that the waiter made one offer to a guest.

Memory tip

Picture предлагать as a tray kept available; предложить is the moment you extend one item from it across the table.

Frequently asked questions

Which case is used for the person receiving an offer?

Use the dative: предложить гостю чай, предлагать студентам помощь.

Can предложить mean both “offer” and “suggest”?

Yes. Предложить кофе is to offer coffee; предложить план is to put forward a plan. Context supplies the nuance.

Why is «Могу предложить...» perfective?

After могу, the infinitive refers to one possible contribution in this situation: “I can suggest/offer one option.”

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