tirar
/tiˈɾaɾ/
To throw away in Spanish is to tirar. Wiktionary also lists echar and desechar.
Meaning: discard or dispose of (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tirar | /tiˈɾaɾ/ |
| echar | /eˈt͡ʃaɾ/ |
| desechar | /deseˈt͡ʃaɾ/ |
| botar | /boˈtaɾ/ |
The phrase is used when you want to discard or dispose of an object.
Which one should you use?
tirar is a common verb that can mean both 'to throw' an object and 'to throw away' an object. In contrast, echar is more general and can mean 'to throw out' or 'to pour/add', such as adding salt to food. If you want to imply a deliberate decision to reject or discard something that is no longer useful, the more formal desechar is appropriate. While tirar focuses on the physical act of throwing, desechar focuses more on the act of discarding or rejecting.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, botar is a common way to say 'to throw away'. However, in Spain, botar often means 'to bounce', such as a ball.
How do you pronounce it?
/tiˈɾaɾ/
Did you know?
- While tirar can mean 'to throw away', it is also the standard word used for 'to pull' in many contexts.
- The verb echar is used in the common idiom echar de menos, which means 'to miss' someone or something.
- The Spanish verb echar is a close relative of the English word 'jet', as both words trace back to the Latin verb 'iactare', meaning to throw or hurl.
Examples in context
- Hay que tirar esos ordenadores viejos.We need to throw away those old computers.This sentence is useful for practicing how to say one needs to throw away old computers using tirar.Tatoeba #5079477 by diegohn, translation #11101527 by DJ_Saidez
- Cuando la pandemia afectó a Nueva York el año pasado, la gente empezó a tirar muchas cosas en un intento por limpiar sus casas y dar con algo que hacer.When the pandemic hit New York last year, people started to throw away a lot of things in an attempt to clean their houses and find something to do.This sentence illustrates a context where people throw away many things to clean their houses using tirar.Tatoeba #10241498 by Seael, translation #10241490 by Hybrid
- Nunca voy a tirar mi Playstation.I will never throw away my Playstation.This sentence shows the use of tirar when expressing that one will never throw away a Playstation.Tatoeba #1456245 by alexmarcelo, translation #1370071 by Spamster
- Por favor, tira esto a la basuraPlease throw this away
- Es necesario descartar esos documentosIt is necessary to throw away those documents
- Tira esto a la basuraThrow this away
- No tires ese papel al sueloDon't throw that paper on the floor
- Echa estas latas en el contenedor de reciclajeThrow these cans in the recycling bin
- ¿Puedes tirar este envase al contenedor?Can you throw away this container?
- Es necesario descartar todos los productos caducados.It is necessary to dispose of all expired products.
- Vamos a tirar estas revistas viejas antes de mudarnos.Let's throw away these old magazines before moving.
- Te pido que descartes cualquier artículo roto o dañado.I ask that you dispose of any broken or damaged items.
- No tires esa camiseta, todavía se puede arreglar.Don't throw away that shirt, it can still be fixed.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are cleaning their kitchen.
- María¿Puedo tirar esta caja?Can I throw away this box?
- MateoSí, la puedes tirar.Yes, you can throw it away.
- MaríaVoy a tirar la basura ahora.I am going to throw away the trash now.
- MateoGracias, María.Thanks, María.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “throw away” translations and entries tirar, echar, desechar, botar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries botar, desechar, echar, tirar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
