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puja

poo-hah/ˈpuxa/

“puja” means “bid” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

bid

Also: offer, outcry
NounfB1
A wooden gavel resting on a circular base on a table.

📝 In Action

He hecho una puja de cincuenta euros por el cuadro.

A2

I have made a fifty-euro bid for the painting.

La puja ganadora fue anunciada al final de la subasta.

B1

The winning bid was announced at the end of the auction.

Hubo una fuerte puja entre los dos coleccionistas.

B2

There was a strong bidding war between the two collectors.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • oferta (offer)
  • licitación (tender/bid)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • puja ganadora – winning bid
  • hacer una puja – to place a bid
  • puja inicial – starting bid

bids

Also: pushes, strives
VerbB2regular ar
A person in a crowd raising a small wooden paddle with a hand.
gerundpujando
past Participlepujado
infinitivepujar

📝 In Action

Ella siempre puja fuerte en las subastas de arte.

B1

She always bids high in art auctions.

El deportista puja por superar su propio récord.

B2

The athlete strives to break his own record.

¡Puja con fuerza!

C1

Push hard! (often used in medical contexts like childbirth)

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ofertar (to offer/bid)
  • esforzarse (to make an effort)

Common Collocations

  • pujar al alza – to outbid / bid upwards

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespujaran
yopujara
túpujaras
vosotrospujarais
nosotrospujáramos
él/ella/ustedpujara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespujen
yopuje
túpujes
vosotrospujéis
nosotrospujemos
él/ella/ustedpuje

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedespujaron
yopujé
túpujaste
vosotrospujasteis
nosotrospujamos
él/ella/ustedpujó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedespujaban
yopujaba
túpujabas
vosotrospujabais
nosotrospujábamos
él/ella/ustedpujaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedespujan
yopujo
túpujas
vosotrospujáis
nosotrospujamos
él/ella/ustedpuja
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "puja" in Spanish:

bid→bids→offer→outcry→pushes→strives→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: puja

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is a correct use of 'puja' as a noun?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pujanza(strength/vigor) — Noun
pujante(booming/strong) — Adjective
pujador(bidder) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'pulsāre', which means to beat, strike, or push. It shares the same root as the English word 'pulse'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: puxarEnglish: pulsate

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'puja' formal or informal?

It is neutral. It's used in serious legal/business contexts (auctions) but also in everyday talk about buying things online.

Can I use 'puja' for pushing a shopping cart?

No, for pushing objects, use 'empujar'. 'Pujar' is for bidding money or internal physical straining.

Is it 'la puja' or 'el puja'?

It is always 'la puja' because it is a feminine noun.