verbverb

pirar

bail

Irse de un lugar, sobre todo rápido o sin avisar.

Definition & meaning

The word pirar is a colloquial Spanish verb that primarily means to leave, depart, or go away, usually in a quick or sudden manner. In everyday conversation, it is most frequently used in its pronominal form, pirarse.

There are three main ways this word is used:

To leave a place: It is a slang equivalent of saying "to beat it" or "to split." For example, "Me piro" means "I'm leaving" or "I'm out of here."
To skip obligations: It can mean to skip school, work, or a specific class without permission. This is similar to the English expression "to play hooky."
To be crazy about something: In some regions and contexts, pirarse por algo indicates a strong liking or passion for something or someone, though this is less common than the meaning related to leaving.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, pirar is a regular verb of the first conjugation (ending in -ar). While it can be used transitively or intransitively, its pronominal form pirarse is far more prevalent in modern Spanish slang.

The origin of the word is believed to come from Caló, the language of the Romani people in Spain. In Caló, the word "pirar" or "pira" means to walk, move, or go. Over time, it was adopted into Spanish slang (cheli or jerga juvenil) and became a common way to describe leaving a place. There is also a secondary association with the word pira (pyre or bonfire), suggesting a quick disappearance like smoke, though the Caló root is the most widely accepted etymological source.