trazione
/tratˈt͡sjo.ne/
The English phrase 'pull up' can be translated into Italian as trazione.
When you want to express the action of pulling something up, such as a rope or a window, the expression tirare su is used. If you are describing the act of lifting objects or heavy items, the verb sollevare is an appropriate choice.
Meaning: lift vertically (verb)
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on the context: use tirare su for the physical motion of pulling something upward and use sollevare when the focus is on the act of lifting an object.
How do you pronounce it?
The word trazione is pronounced /tratˈtsjo.ne/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- While tirare su means 'pull up', the phrase tirarsi su is often used figuratively to mean 'cheering up' or recovering from a difficult emotional period.
- The verb tirare is used in the phrase tirare su but also means 'to shoot' in certain contexts. For example, tirare un colpo means 'to fire a shot'.
- In Italian, you do not 'pull up' a chair in the same way as in English. To move a chair closer to a table, Italians use the verb avvicinare meaning 'to bring closer'.
Examples in context
- Posso chiederti di tirare su la finestra, per favore?Can I ask you to pull up the window, please?
- L'esercizio richiede una forte trazione verso l'alto.The exercise requires a strong upward pull.
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are at the gym.
- MartinaFrancesco, guarda questa trazione!Francesco, look at this pull-up!
- FrancescoSei molto forte, Martina.You are very strong, Martina.
- MartinaMi alleno ogni giorno.I train every day.
- FrancescoInsegnali a fare una trazione a me.Teach me how to do a pull-up.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry trazione, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
