A group of joyful children holding a golden trophy together on a grassy field.

ganaron

gah-NAH-rohn

verbA2regular ar

they won?referring to a competition or game,you all won?used in Latin America to address a group

Also:they earned?referring to money or a salary,they gained?referring to weight or an advantage

Quick Reference

gerundganando

past Participleganado

infinitiveganar

📝 In Action

Ellos ganaron el partido por tres puntos.

They won the game by three points.

Ustedes ganaron la lotería, ¡felicidades!

You all won the lottery, congratulations!

Mis tíos ganaron mucho dinero el año pasado.

My aunt and uncle earned a lot of money last year.

Word Connections

Synonyms

triunfaron (they triumphed)
vencieron (they defeated/won)

Antonyms

perdieron (they lost)

Common Collocations

ganaron la vida – they earned a living
ganaron tiempo – they bought time

Idioms & Expressions

ganarse el pan – to earn one's living

💡 Grammar Points

Using the 'Past' form

'Ganaron' is used for actions that happened at a specific point in time and are now finished, like a race that ended yesterday.

Who are we talking about?

This word specifically tells you that 'they' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all' (ustedes) were the ones who did the winning.

❌ Common Pitfalls

The Accent Mark Trap

Mistake: "Confusing 'ganaron' with 'ganarán'."

Correction: Use 'ganaron' for the past (they won) and 'ganarán' with an accent for the future (they will win).

⭐ Usage Tips

More than just games

In Spanish, you use this same word for winning a trophy and for earning your monthly salary.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesganaran

yoganara

túganaras

vosotrosganarais

nosotrosganáramos

él/ella/ustedganara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesganen

yogane

túganes

vosotrosganéis

nosotrosganemos

él/ella/ustedgane

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesganaron

yogané

túganaste

vosotrosganasteis

nosotrosganamos

él/ella/ustedganó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesganaban

yoganaba

túganabas

vosotrosganabais

nosotrosganábamos

él/ella/ustedganaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesganan

yogano

túganas

vosotrosganáis

nosotrosganamos

él/ella/ustedgana

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ganaron

Question 1 of 1

If your friends tell you 'Ganaron el premio', what happened?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ganar(to win/earn) - verb

ganador(winner) - noun

ganancia(profit/gain) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'ganaron' ever mean 'we won'?

No, 'we won' is 'ganamos'. 'Ganaron' only refers to 'them' or 'you all'.

Is 'ganaron' used in Spain?

Yes, but in Spain it usually only means 'they won'. To say 'you all won' in Spain, people usually say 'ganasteis'.