tirer
/ti.ʁe/
The English verb pull is translated into French as tirer.
The verb tirer is used to mean apply force to something so it comes towards one. When you are pulling on a specific object like a lever or a rope, you often use the verb with the preposition sur: tirer sur. Additionally, the term pull-over can be used casually in an informal context to refer to a pullover.
Meaning: transitive: apply force to (something) so it comes towards one (verb)
Which one should you use?
While tirer means to pull, it is the direct antonym of pousser, which means to push.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of tirer is tiré (pulled).
How do you pronounce it?
tirer is pronounced /ti.ʁe/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The verb tirer is used for many things an English speaker would call 'shooting', such as tirer un coup de feu to fire a shot from a gun.
- The verb tirer is used in the phrase tirer la langue, which literally means to pull one's tongue but is actually the standard way to say 'to stick one's tongue out'.
- The word tirer shares a common ancestor with the English word 'tire', specifically in the sense of 'to draw or pull' as seen in the expression 'to tire a load'.
Examples in context
- Veuillez tirer sur la corde.Please pull the rope.The first example is useful for practicing the phrase with the form tirer.Tatoeba #1452004 by sacredceltic, translation #1451673 by CK
- Ne m'oblige pas à tirer sur la gâchette !Don't make me pull the trigger.The second example is useful for practicing the phrase with the form tirer.Tatoeba #2289856 by sacredceltic, translation #2288957 by CK
- Je dois tirer sur une cordelette de démarrage pour lancer ma tondeuse.I have to pull a ripcord to start my lawn mower.The third example is useful for practicing the phrase with the form tirer.Tatoeba #1735956 by sacredceltic, translation #1733796 by darinmex
- Il porte toujours un joli pull-over au bureau.He always wears a nice pullover at the office.
- Je dois acheter un chandail chaud pour l'hiver.I need to buy a warm sweater for the winter.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo is trying to open a heavy wooden door in a shop.
- ManonIl faut tirer la porte pour l'ouvrir.You have to pull the door to open it.
- HugoAh, je ne voyais pas que c'était pour tirer.Ah, I didn't see that it was to pull.
- ManonElle est un peu lourde, n'est-ce pas ?It is a bit heavy, isn't it?
- HugoOui, maintenant elle est ouverte.Yes, now it is open.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pull” translations and entries tirer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tirer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
