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"Meter" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to put", and "tirar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to throw". Learn more about the difference between "meter" and "tirar" below.
meter(
meh
-
tehr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to place)
a. to put
Jorge metió el brazo por la verja para alcanzar la fruta.Jorge put his arm through the railings to reach the fruit.
b. to stick
El niñito metió un cuchillo en la tostadora y se sorprendió con lo que pasó.The little boy stuck a knife in the toaster and was shocked by what happened.
c. to fit
¿Crees que se puede meter tantas personas en el coche?Do you think you can fit that many people in the car?
2. (sports)
a. to score
Nuestro equipo metió el único gol faltando tres segundos en el partido.Our team scored the only goal of the match with three seconds to go.
a. to bring into
No quiero que me metas en las broncas del comité.I don't want you to bring me into the committee's problems.
b. to involve
No hubieras metido a tu hijo en este negocio.You shouldn't have involved your son in this business.
4. (sewing)
a. to take in
Como perdí peso, tengo que meter la cintura de los pantalones.Since I've lost weight, I need to take in the waist of my pants.
b. to take up
Como la falda te queda un poco larga, vamos a meter la bastilla.Since your skirt is a little long, we're going to take up the hem.
b. to put
Mete reversa y lentamente quita el pie del freno.Put it in reverse and slowly take your foot off the brake.
6. (to employ)
7. (to use on)
a. to take to
No me gustó como me quedó el dibujo, así que le metí las tijeras.I didn't like how my drawing turned out, so I took the scissors to it.
8. (colloquial) (to make understand)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to get into
No sé como meterle a mi hijo que tiene que estudiar.I don't know how to get it into my son's head that he has to study.
9. (to apply)
a. to give
El boxeador le metió un golpe tan duro a su contrincante que se cayó.The boxer gave his opponent such a hard punch that he fell over.
10. (to cause)
meterse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
c. to get into
Estoy tan cansada que tengo ganas de meterme en la cama.I'm so tired I just want to get into bed.
12. (to be placed)
a. to get involved
Imelda se metió a la política cuando su familia perdió todo por un político corrupto.Imelda got involved in politics when her family lost everything because of a corrupt politician.
b. to get into
Después de su primer viaje al mar a los 12 años, Rose se metió al buceo.After her first trip to the coast at age 12, Rose got into diving.
a. to interfere
Rafa siempre se mete en donde no debe.Rafa's always interfering where he’s not wanted.
b. to meddle
¿No tienes nada mejor que hacer que meterte en nuestro proyecto?Don’t you have anything better to do than meddle in our project?
c. to stick one's nose in
No te metas donde no debes.Don't stick your nose in where it's not wanted.
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.
