"Pull" is to draw something toward you; "push" is to move something away from you.
To draw something toward yourself. Also: an attractive influence (as in "pull factor" in migration).
Pull the door toward you. It does not push open.
Jala la puerta hacia ti. No se abre empujando.
She pulled the child away from the edge of the pool.
Ella jalo al nino para alejarlo del borde de la piscina.
He pulled the drawer open and found the old letter inside.
El jalo el cajon y encontro la vieja carta adentro.
To move something away from you. Also: to pressure, promote, or insist on something.
Push the button to call the elevator.
Presiona el boton para llamar el elevador.
She had to push through the crowd to get to the exit.
Ella tuvo que abrirse paso entre la multitud para llegar a la salida.
The company is pushing a new product line this quarter.
La empresa esta promoviendo una nueva linea de productos este trimestre.
Common mistake
Confusing the direction: "pull" = the force goes TOWARD YOU. "Push" = the force goes AWAY FROM YOU. On doors: "PULL" (toward you) vs "PUSH" (away from you). The error of pushing a door that says "PULL" is so universal it has a name in English: "Norman door" (a badly designed door that confuses users). Idioms: "pull someone's leg" (to joke/tease someone), "push your luck" (to risk losing what you have by asking for more).
Trick to remember it
Body visualization: "pull" = you close your hand and bring something toward your chest. "Push" = you extend your arms and move something away. For remembering on doors: look at the handle — if it has a handle you grip, you pull. If it has a flat plate, you push (nothing to grab). This is the actual design intent: hardware signals the action.
Quick rule
Pull = draw toward you. Push = move away from you.
Did you know?
In the tech world, a "pull request" (PR) is a Git term meaning to ask someone to "pull" (incorporate) your changes into the main branch. And "push" in Git means sending your changes to the remote server (you push them outward). Ironically, when you do a "git push" you are pushing your commits toward the remote — the metaphor is perfectly consistent with the physical meaning of the verb.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The sign on the door says "PUSH." What do you do?
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He _____ all the furniture to one side to make room for dancing.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Pull = draw toward you. Push = move away from you.
Confusing the direction: "pull" = the force goes TOWARD YOU. "Push" = the force goes AWAY FROM YOU. On doors: "PULL" (toward you) vs "PUSH" (away from you). The error of pushing a door that says "PULL" is so universal it has a name in English: "Norman door" (a badly designed door that confuses users). Idioms: "pull someone's leg" (to joke/tease someone), "push your luck" (to risk losing what you have by asking for more).
Body visualization: "pull" = you close your hand and bring something toward your chest. "Push" = you extend your arms and move something away. For remembering on doors: look at the handle — if it has a handle you grip, you pull. If it has a flat plate, you push (nothing to grab). This is the actual design intent: hardware signals the action.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy