ganar
/gah-NAR/
to win
The primary meaning of ganar (to win) is used for competitions, games, and prizes.
ganar(Verb)
to win
?competitions, games, prizes, lotteries
to be victorious
?more formal, in a battle or election
📝 In Action
Mi equipo favorito ganó el partido de fútbol.
A1My favorite team won the soccer game.
¡Ojalá gane la lotería!
A2I hope I win the lottery!
Ella ganó el primer premio en el concurso.
B1She won first prize in the contest.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Any Victory
Think of this as your go-to word for any situation where there's a winner, from a simple card game to a major world championship.
Use ganar (to earn) when discussing salary or making money.
ganar(Verb)
to earn
?money, salary, a living
to make
?specifically when talking about money
📝 In Action
¿Cuánto ganas al mes?
A2How much do you earn per month?
Trabajo mucho para ganar dinero para mi familia.
A2I work a lot to earn money for my family.
Es importante saber cómo ganarse la vida.
B1It's important to know how to earn a living.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Hacer' for 'To Make Money'
Mistake: "En mi trabajo, yo hago mucho dinero."
Correction: En mi trabajo, yo gano mucho dinero. In Spanish, you 'win' or 'earn' money, you don't 'make' it like you do in English.
Ganar also means to gain abstract or physical things, such as speed, experience, or confidence.
ganar(Verb)
to gain
?weight, speed, experience, confidence
to acquire
?knowledge, respect
,to put on
?specifically for weight
📝 In Action
He ganado un poco de peso durante las vacaciones.
B1I've gained a little weight during the holidays.
Con el tiempo, ganó el respeto de sus colegas.
B1Over time, he gained the respect of his colleagues.
El coche ganó velocidad en la autopista.
B2The car gained speed on the highway.
⭐ Usage Tips
Beyond Winning and Earning
This meaning extends the idea of 'gaining' something. You can 'gain' things you can't hold, like confidence, or things you don't want, like weight!
When used with an object, ganar means to beat or defeat an opponent.
📝 In Action
Te gané en la carrera.
B1I beat you in the race.
Nuestro equipo le ganó al campeón del año pasado.
B1Our team beat last year's champion.
Es muy difícil ganarle a ella en ajedrez.
B2It's very difficult to beat her at chess.
💡 Grammar Points
Beating Someone
When you use 'ganar' to mean 'beat', you often put a little word like 'le' or 'les' right before it to point to the person you beat. For example, 'Le gané' (I beat him/her).
In formal contexts, ganar can mean to reach a destination, especially after a great effort, such as a summit or the shore.
ganar(Verb)
to reach
?a destination, a summit, the shore
to get to
?a place after an effort
📝 In Action
Tras horas de escalada, por fin ganamos la cumbre.
B2After hours of climbing, we finally reached the summit.
Los náufragos nadaron con todas sus fuerzas hasta ganar la orilla.
C1The castaways swam with all their might until they reached the shore.
⭐ Usage Tips
Reaching a Goal
This usage implies effort. It's not just arriving, but 'winning' your way to a location. You'll see it more in books than in everyday conversation.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ganar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'ganar' to mean 'to earn'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'ganar' and 'vencer'?
They can both mean 'to win' or 'to beat', but there's a small difference in feeling. 'Ganar' is the general, all-purpose word for winning a game, a prize, or earning money. 'Vencer' feels a bit stronger, like 'to defeat' or 'to overcome' an obstacle or a powerful opponent. You 'ganas un partido' (win a game), but you might 'vences a tu mayor rival' (defeat your greatest rival).
Can I say 'hacer dinero' for 'to make money'?
While English speakers say 'make money', this doesn't translate directly to Spanish. The correct and natural way to say it is 'ganar dinero'. Saying 'hacer dinero' is a very common mistake for learners and will sound strange to a native speaker.