tira
/ˈtiɾa/
The English phrase "pulls" is translated into Spanish as tira.
tira is used to describe the action of exerting force on something to move it toward oneself. In specific contexts, such as instructions for a door, tira (pull) serves as the direct opposite of empuja (push).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word tira is a conjugated form of the infinitive verb tirar, which means "to pull".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtiɾa/
Did you know?
- The phrase tirar la casa por la ventana literally means 'to throw the house out the window', but it actually describes spending an extravagant amount of money on a party.
- Depending on the country, tirar can mean 'to pull' or 'to throw', making it a contronym where one word represents two opposite physical actions.
- The word tira can also be a noun meaning 'strip' or 'band', such as a tira cómica for a comic strip. This comes from the idea of pulling a long piece of material from a roll.
Examples in context
- Tened cuidado, ojos, con lo que veis, porque al segundo vistazo se atan vuestras manos mientras la oscuridad tira de los hilos.Be careful, eyes, what you see, cause it's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings.This sentence is useful for seeing how tira is used when describing darkness pulling strings.Tatoeba #5405232 by albrusgher, translation #3816967 by Bruno_Lopes
- Por favor, tira de la cuerda para abrir la puerta.Please pull the rope to open the door.
- El mozo arrastra el equipaje hacia la habitación.The porter pulls the luggage towards the room.
- ¡Jala la cuerda para que se abra la cortina!Pull the rope to open the curtain!
- Tira de la cuerda con fuerza para sacar el objeto.Pull the rope with force to take out the object.
- Él tira de la cuerda con mucha fuerza.He pulls the rope with a lot of force.
- La niña tira de la puerta para abrirla.The girl pulls the door to open it.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are trying to open a heavy door.
- JavierSofía, ¿puedes abrir la puerta?Sofía, can you open the door?
- SofíaNo puedo, creo que se empuja.I can't, I think you push it.
- JavierNo, mira, el cartel dice que tira.No, look, the sign says it pulls.
- SofíaTienes razón, ya está abierta.You're right, it's open now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tira, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
