Inklingo
Dictionary

gané

gah-NEHgaˈne

“gané” means “I won” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

I wonA1Verb

In a game, competition, or contest

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I earnedA2Verb

Money or income

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I gainedB1Verb

Experience, weight, or reputation

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I wonAlso: I beat, I got

VerbA1regular ar
A joyful cartoon character standing on a winner's podium, raising a large, shiny gold trophy high above their head, celebrating victory.
infinitiveganar
gerundganando
past Participleganado

📝 In Action

¡Ganamos! Espera, quise decir: ¡Ganamos el torneo!

A1

We won! Wait, I meant: I won the tournament!

Ganó el primer lugar en la carrera de 100 metros.

A2

I won first place in the 100-meter race.

Yo gané la apuesta, así que tú pagas la cena.

A1

I won the bet, so you pay for dinner.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • gané el partido – I won the match
  • gané un premio – I won a prize

I earnedAlso: I made

VerbA2regular ar
A smiling person holding a tall, neat stack of golden coins and green paper money, representing earned income.
infinitiveganar
gerundganando
past Participleganado

📝 In Action

Ganó un buen salario en su primer trabajo.

A2

I earned a good salary in my first job.

No gané suficiente dinero para pagar la renta este mes.

A2

I didn't earn enough money to pay the rent this month.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • gané dinero – I earned money
  • gané un sueldo – I earned a salary

I gainedAlso: I acquired

VerbB1regular ar
A character proudly looking at a very tall, stable tower of colorful wooden blocks they successfully finished building, symbolizing gained skill or experience.
infinitiveganar
gerundganando
past Participleganado

📝 In Action

Ganó mucha experiencia en ese proyecto tan largo.

B1

I gained a lot of experience in that long project.

Después de las vacaciones, gané unos kilos.

B1

After the vacation, I gained a few pounds (kilos).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • gané peso – I gained weight
  • gané respeto – I gained respect

Indicative

Present

yogano
túganas
él/ella/ustedgana
nosotrosganamos
vosotrosganáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesganan

Imperfect

yoganaba
túganabas
él/ella/ustedganaba
nosotrosganábamos
vosotrosganabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesganaban

Preterite

yogané
túganaste
él/ella/ustedganó
nosotrosganamos
vosotrosganasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesganaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yogane
túganes
él/ella/ustedgane
nosotrosganemos
vosotrosganéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesganen

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoganara/ganase
túganaras/ganases
él/ella/ustedganara/ganase
nosotrosganáramos/ganásemos
vosotrosganarais/ganaseis
ellos/ellas/ustedesganaran/ganasen
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "gané" in Spanish:

i earnedi gainedi won

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: gané

Question 1 of 2

Which English sentence correctly translates the Spanish: 'Ganó el respeto de sus colegas'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
ganar(to win/earn) — Verb
ganador(winner) — Noun
ganancia(profit/gain) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes
tomélleguépagé
📚 Etymology

The verb 'ganar' comes from the Gothic word *'ganon'*, meaning 'to desire' or 'to covet,' which later evolved in Vulgar Latin and Old Spanish to mean 'to acquire' or 'to win' something desirable.

First recorded: Around the 11th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: ganharFrench: gagner

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'gané' and 'ganaba'?

'Ganó' (Preterite) means 'I won/earned' one time, completed in the past (e.g., 'I won the lottery last week'). 'Ganaba' (Imperfect) means 'I used to win/earn' repeatedly or describes an ongoing past situation (e.g., 'I used to earn very little money').

Is 'gané' only used for winning, or also for earning money?

Both! 'Ganar' is a versatile verb. It is used equally often for winning a game ('Ganó el partido') and for earning a salary ('Ganó un buen sueldo').