Jogar vs. lançar vs. atirar
While jogar, lançar, and atirar can all translate to to throw, their usage depends heavily on regional differences between Brazil and Portugal, as well as the level of formality and the force behind the action.
Jogar
A1In Brazil, jogar is the most common, everyday word for to throw anything, from a ball to trash. In Portugal, while meanting to throw, it is often restricted to sports, games, or the act of casually tossing something, whereas atirar is preferred for general throwing.
Ele gosta de jogar a bola para o cachorro.
(He loves to throw the ball for the dog.)
Por favor, não vá jogar o papel no chão.
(Please, do not throw the paper on the ground.)
Vou jogar as chaves para você pegar.
(I am going to toss the keys for you to catch.)
Lançar
B1Used in both countries, lançar corresponds to to launch or to cast. It is a formal, poetic, or technical term often used in sports (like javelin throw), physics (projectiles), or when throwing something requires a specific technique or significant force.
O atleta vai lançar o dardo agora.
(The athlete is going to throw the javelin now.)
Eles vão lançar o foguete amanhã.
(They will launch the rocket tomorrow.)
O pescador acabou de lançar a rede.
(The fisherman just cast the net.)
Atirar
A2In Portugal, atirar is the standard, neutral word for to throw (a stone, a ball). However, in Brazil, atirar generally means to shoot (a firearm); when used in Brazil to mean to throw, it implies aggression, great force, or flinging something.
O menino atirou uma pedra no lago.
(The boy threw a stone into the lake.)
Não deves atirar objetos aos colegas.
(You must not throw objects at your classmates.)
Ela se atirou na cama de cansada.
(She threw herself onto the bed out of exhaustion.)
Summary
Use jogar for casual throwing in Brazil. Use atirar for general throwing in Portugal (but be careful in Brazil, as it often means to shoot). Use lançar in formal contexts or for launching projectiles in both countries.