jalar

Spanish

Etymology

From halar. Compare English haul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xaˈlaɾ/
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: ja‧lar

Verb

jalar (first-person singular present jalo, first-person singular preterite jalé, past participle jalado)

1. (transitive) to pull

   Synonym: halar

2. (transitive, familiar) to draw (in); to attract

   El circo jala a todos los hijos del pueblo.

   The circus draws all the town's children.

   Las dramatizaciones lo jalan.

   The plays appeal to him.

3. (transitive, familiar) to eat with great appetite
4. (intransitive) to pull (together)
5. (intransitive, familiar) to hurry along; to get along
6. (intransitive, Mexico, familiar) to function properly; to be in working order
7. (intransitive, Mexico) to work, to have a job
8. (Peru, transitive) to fail (an exam, a subject or an academic year at school or university)

   Asu mano, jalé tres cursos este ciclo, weón.

   Jeez man, I've failed three subjects this semester, bro

   Ojalá no jale el examen de mañana.

   I hope I don't fail tomorrow's exam

9. (transitive, Mexico, vulgar, slang, reflexive, often with la, of a man) to masturbate

Conjugation

Derived terms

Further reading

• “jalar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014