vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Jalar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to pull", and "tirar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to throw". Learn more about the difference between "jalar" and "tirar" below.
jalar(
hah
-
lahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to bring toward one) (Andes) (Caribbean) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
2. (to drag) (Andes) (Caribbean) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to haul
Necesito un camión con mayor potencia para jalar este remolque.I need a more powerful truck to haul this trailer.
a. to pick up
Raquel jaló la bolsa de basura y la llevó para afuera.Rachel picked up the bag of trash and took it out.
4. (to transport) (Andes) (Central America)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
a. to give a ride to (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
¿Cómo llegaste a Lima? - Mauricio me jaló.How did you get to Lima? - Mauricio gave me a ride.
b. to give a lift to (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Tengo que ir a Arequipa pero se me descompuso el coche. - No te preocupes. Yo te jalo a Arequipa.I have to go to Arequipa, but my car broke down. - Don't worry. I'll give you a lift to Arequipa.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Mi hija estaba estudiando arte, pero ahora le jala la medicina.My daughter was studying art, but now she's into medicine.
¿A quién le jala salir a bailar?Who's for going out dancing?
6. (colloquial) (to ingest) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. to eat
Los encontré jalando paella en casa de mi abuela.I found them eating paella at my grandmother's house.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
7. (colloquial) (to go fast)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
8. (to grab and move forcefully; used with "de") (Andes) (Caribbean) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
9. (to leave) (Andes) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to go
Después de jugar fútbol todo el día, creo que ya es hora de jalar para la casa.After playing soccer all day, I think it's time to go home now.
10. (colloquial) (to function) (Ecuador) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Ecuador
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to work
¡Qué coraje! Acabo de sacar el auto del taller y otra vez no jala.How infuriating! I just got my car out of the shop and it's stopped working again.
11. (colloquial) (to labor) (Andes)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to work
Mi marido lleva un mes jalando en una obra de construcción de un centro comercial.My husband has been working on a shopping mall construction project for a month.
13. (to be courting) (Central America)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
a. to date
Apenas llevan una semana jalando y ya tienen pleitos.They've only been dating a week, and they are already having arguments.
jalarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
14. (to leave) (Central America) (Mexico)
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to go
Me jalo a la tienda a traer hielo para la fiesta.I'm going to go to the store to get ice for the party.
15. (colloquial) (to become intoxicated) (Central America) (Colombia) (Cuba) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama
Regionalism used in Colombia
Regionalism used in Cuba
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to get drunk
Alberto se jaló en la fiesta de cumpleaños de su hermano y hoy tiene resaca.Alberto got drunk at his brother's birthday party and he's hungover today.
16. (vulgar) (to masturbate) (Mexico)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Mexico
a. to jerk off (vulgar) (United States)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in the United States
Miguel y sus amigos fanfarroneaban de las veces que se la habían jalado.Miguel and his friends were bragging about the times they had jerked off.
b. to wank (vulgar) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Jaime casi se murió de vergüenza cuando su madre lo sorprendió jalándosela.Jaime almost died of embarrassment when his mom caught him wanking.
17. (colloquial) (to eat voraciously) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. to scarf down (colloquial) (United States)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United States
Debías de tener mucha hambre, porque te jalaste el pollo muy rápido.You must have been really hungry, because you scarfed down that chicken really fast.
b. to scoff (colloquial) (United Kingdom)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
¡Dios mío! Te jalaste todo el plato en un santiamén.Goodness! You scoffed the whole plateful in no time at all.
tirar(
tee
-
rahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to propel)
a. to throw
Si tiras una moneda al pozo, puedes pedir un deseo.If you throw a coin in the well, you can make a wish.
a. to waste
Comprar productos de mala calidad es tirar el dinero.Buying bad quality products is wasting your money.
b. to squander
Los humanos están tirando todos los recursos del planeta.Humans are squandering the planet's resources.
a. to knock down
Van a tirar la antigua central eléctrica.The old power plant is going to be knocked down.
b. to knock over
Dejen de empujar, van a tirar la mesa.Stop pushing; you are going to knock the table over.
7. (printing)
a. to print
Han tirado diez mil ejemplares de la novela.They have printed ten thousand copies of the novel.
b. to run off
La editorial tiró mil ejemplares de mi libro.The publisher ran off a thousand copies of my book.
8. (to trace)
a. to draw
El arquitecto tiró una línea recta con una regla.The architect drew a straight line with a ruler.
9. (to attack)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
No le tire patadas a su hermano.Don't kick your brother.
Su perro me tiró un mordisco.His dog snapped at me.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
10. (to draw nearer)
11. (to attract)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
No le tira estudiar medicina.He is not interested in studying medicine.
Las fiestas ya no me tiran.Parties don't appeal to me anymore.
12. (to be taut)
a. to be tight
Esta falda me tira en la cadera, me compraré una talla más grande.This skirt is tight at the hip; I'm going to buy a bigger size.
14. (sports)
a. to shoot
Tras recibir un pase, el jugador tiró desde la línea de tres puntos sin éxito.After catching a pass, the player shot from the three-point line unsuccessfully.
15. (to work)
16. (to survive)
a. to get by
Tenemos que tirar con muy poco hasta que cobre.We have to get by with very little until payday.
a. to go
Para llegar a la panadería, tire por esta calle hasta el cruce.To get to the bakery, go down this street up to the intersection.
18. (to tend)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
El plato tiraba a dulce más que nada.The dish was more sweet than anything else.
Tienes que beberte el té cuando esté tirando a frío.You have to drink the tea when it is cooling down.
19. (vulgar) (to have sexual intercourse) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
tirarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to throw oneself
Pensó en suicidarse tirándose de un puente.He thought of committing suicide by throwing himself off a bridge.
21. (to pass time)
22. (vulgar) (to have sexual intercourse)
A word or phrase that is crude, indecent, and generally rejected by society.
23. (colloquial) (to release gas)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
El bebé se tiró un eructo tras tomarse su biberón.The baby burped after having his bottle.
La primera vez que se tiró un pedo delante de su novio se avergonzó.The first time she farted in front of her boyfriend, she was embarrassed.
