ganado
/gah-NAH-doh/
livestock
As a noun, ganado means 'livestock', referring to farm animals collectively.
ganado(Noun)
livestock
?farm animals collectively
,cattle
?specifically cows and bulls
herd
?group of animals
📝 In Action
El granjero vendió todo su ganado en la feria de primavera.
B1The farmer sold all his livestock at the spring fair.
Cuidar el ganado es un trabajo duro que requiere madrugar.
B2Taking care of the cattle is hard work that requires getting up early.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Singular
Even though 'ganado' refers to many animals, it is almost always treated as a singular masculine noun, similar to how English uses the word 'stock'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Feminine
Mistake: "La ganada..."
Correction: Always use the masculine article: 'El ganado.' It does not change gender.
⭐ Usage Tips
Rural Context
Use 'ganado' when talking about agriculture, ranching, or large quantities of farm animals. For a single cow, use 'vaca' or 'toro'.
When used as a past participle, ganado means 'won', often referring to a prize or competition.
ganado(Past Participle)
won
?in competition or games
,earned
?money or respect
gained
?an advantage or position
📝 In Action
Hemos ganado el partido por dos puntos.
A1We have won the game by two points.
Es el dinero que has ganado con tu esfuerzo.
A2It is the money that you have earned with your effort.
La medalla ganada era de oro.
B1The medal won was gold. (Here, it acts like an adjective)
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
The past participle ('ganado') never changes when used with the verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses: 'Yo he ganado' (I have won), 'Ellas han ganado' (They have won).
Adjective Use
When 'ganado' is used as a standalone adjective (like 'won' or 'earned'), it MUST match the thing it describes in number and gender: 'Las batallas ganadas' (The won battles).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Changing Gender in Perfect Tenses
Mistake: "Hemos ganada la copa."
Correction: Hemos GANADO la copa. The participle is fixed when used with 'haber', regardless of the noun's gender.
⭐ Usage Tips
Simple Winning
Use 'ganar' instead of 'vencer' (to defeat) for most casual contexts like sports, lotteries, or competitions.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ganado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ganado' referring to farm animals?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'ganado' mean both 'won' and 'cattle'?
This is a case where the same root word developed two very different meanings. The verb 'ganar' means 'to gain' or 'to acquire.' In the context of farming centuries ago, the most important thing to acquire and gain was valuable livestock, so the noun 'ganado' came to mean the animals themselves.
Is 'ganado' always masculine, even if I'm talking about female cows?
Yes, when 'ganado' means 'livestock' collectively, it is always masculine ('el ganado'). If you refer to individual animals, you would use feminine words like 'la vaca' (the cow) or 'la oveja' (the sheep).