tirare
/tiˈra.re/
The Italian verb for "pull" is tirare.
tirare is used for the physical action of pulling an object toward oneself. It is also used for the sense of "drawing" something, such as drawing a curtain or drawing a sword.
Meaning: transitive: apply force to (something) so it comes towards one (verb)
Which one should you use?
The phrasal verb tirare fuori is used specifically to mean "to pull out" or "to extract" something from a pocket or a container.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative form is tira (he/she pulls).
How do you pronounce it?
/tiˈra.re/. The word has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- While tirare means 'pull', it is also the standard verb for 'shooting' a gun or 'kicking' a ball in sports. In these contexts, the action is seen as pulling a trigger or launching an object.
- To describe a heavy sigh or a deep breath, Italians use the phrase tirare un sospiro. This treats a sigh as something that must be physically pulled into the lungs.
- The verb tirare shares the same Latin root as the English word 'tire', which originally referred to the act of drawing or pulling a weight.
Examples in context
- Non mi tirare la manica.Don't pull my sleeve.This sentence shows the use of tirare regarding a sleeve.Tatoeba #2224691 by Guybrush88, translation #274540 by CK
- Mi può tirare fuori da qui?Can you pull me out of here?This sentence uses tirare in the context of being pulled out of a place.Tatoeba #4790846 by Guybrush88, translation #4576399 by fekundulo
- Vidi Tom tirare fuori un coltello.I saw Tom pull out a knife.This sentence uses tirare to describe the action of pulling something out.Tatoeba #10492569 by Guybrush88, translation #10147149 by ddnktr
- Tira la corda!Pull the rope!
- Tira la porta per aprirla.Pull the door to open it.
- Estrai il foglio dalla stampante.Pull the paper out of the printer.
- Estrae la chiave dalla serratura.He pulls out the key from the lock.
- Strappami il braccio se ci riesci!Try to pull my arm off if you can!
- Tira su la cerniera della giacca.Pull up the zipper on the jacket.
- Ho tirato su il cavo per spegnere la luce.I pulled the cord to turn off the light.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are trying to open a stuck heavy door.
- MatteoProva a tirare la porta.Try to pull the door.
- MartinaL'ho fatto, ma non si muove.I did, but it won't move.
- MatteoDevi tirare più forte.You have to pull harder.
- MartinaOk, ci provo ancora.Okay, I will try again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pull” translations and entries tirare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tirare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
