/poosh-ar/
Verb Type: Regular -AR verb
đźš« English speakers think: To push
âś… Actually means: To pull
This is the single most physically painful word in the Portuguese language. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked into a glass door because the sign said Puxe (Imperative for Puxar), my brain read “Push,” and my nose paid the price.
Example in Context
“Puxa a porta para entrar.” → “Pull the door to come in.”
How to say “Push”
When you actually need to use force to push something away, use Empurrar.
- Empurra a porta para sair. → “Push the door to go out.”
Why does the sign say “Puxe”?
You will rarely see the infinitive verb Puxar on a door. You will usually see the command form, Puxe. If you are curious why the word changes like that, I wrote a quick explanation on finally understanding door signs.
Memory Trick
Puxar sounds like “Push”… so you must do the opposite.