Tirar is one of those verbs that seem to have a million meanings because it is used in so many expressions. In this Portuguese lesson I am going to show you 4 very common and useful uses of the verb Tirar in Portuguese.

First things first: What does Tirar mean?

Tirar means to take away, to take out, to remove, to pull out, to pull off…

Yes, it has other translations in English, but I feel this is a good start.

Tirar is a regular verb ending in –AR. Find its conjugation in all verb tenses here. (LINK)

Here are examples using the verb Tirar:

1) Vou tirar esse quadro do quarto e colocar na sala.

= I’m going to take this painting out of the bedroom and put it in the living room.

2) A primeira coisa que eu faço quando chego em casa é tirar os sapatos.

= The first thing I do when I get home is to take off my shoes.

3) Eu conheço um produto que tira todo tipo de mancha.

= I know a product that removes any type of stain.

4) Você pode me ajudar? Não consigo tirar esse prego da parede.

= Can you help me? I can’t take this nail off the wall.

4 Common, Useful Uses of the Verb Tirar in Brazilian Portuguese

Tirar férias = to take a vacation

Examples:

1. Vou tirar férias em abril. = I will take a vacation in April.
2. Quando você tirou férias? = When did you take a vacation?

Tirar dinheiro = to cash/withdraw/get money

Examples:

1. Preciso tirar dinheiro. Por sorte tem um caixa eletrônico na esquina. = I need to cash money. Luckily there is an ATM around the corner.
2. De onde vou tirar dinheiro para pagar essa conta? = Where will I get money to pay this bill?

Tirar fotos = to take pictures

Examples:

1. Adoro tirar fotos. = I love to take pictures.
2. Você tirou muitas fotos na viagem? = Did you take many pictures on your trip?

Tirar conclusões = to draw conclusions

Examples:

1. É melhor tirar conclusões com base em informações ou evidência. = It’s better to draw conclusions based on information or evidence.
2. Não tire conclusões precipitadas. = Don’t jump to conclusions.

To use your new vocabulary correctly you need lots of practice. There’s only so much that apps, books, and videos can do for your Portuguese. You need to have real conversations with real people in order to take your fluency to the next level.

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