ganaste
/gah-NAHS-teh/
you won
Ganaste: When you win a competition, we say "you won."
ganaste(verb)
you won
?past victory/competition (informal 'you')
you beat
?as in 'you beat the other team'
,you succeeded
?in achieving a goal
📝 In Action
¡Felicidades! Vi el partido, realmente **ganaste** por poco.
A1Congratulations! I saw the game, you really won by a little bit.
¿Cómo **ganaste** la lotería? ¡Dime tu secreto!
A2How did you win the lottery? Tell me your secret!
Corriste muy rápido. **Ganaste** la carrera fácilmente.
A1You ran very fast. You won the race easily.
💡 Grammar Points
The Simple Past (Preterite) for 'Tú'
Ganaste is the 'tú' form of the simple past tense (preterite). It describes a single action that started and finished completely at a specific time in the past: 'Yesterday, you won.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'ganabas' (imperfect) instead of 'ganaste' (preterite) for a single, completed victory."
Correction: Use **ganaste** for a specific win ('You won the race'). Use 'ganabas' only if you are describing a habit or condition in the past ('You used to win often').
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with 'Tú'
Remember that ganaste is only used when speaking informally to one person. If you are speaking formally (to 'usted'), you must say 'ganó'.
Ganaste: When you receive income or salary, we say "you earned."
ganaste(verb)
you earned
?past income/salary (informal 'you')
you acquired
?money or assets
📝 In Action
¿Cuánto dinero **ganaste** en tu último trabajo?
A2How much money did you earn in your last job?
Trabajaste mucho, **ganaste** el respeto de todos.
B1You worked hard, you earned everyone's respect.
💡 Grammar Points
Earning Respect or Love
In Spanish, you can use ganar not just for money or games, but also for acquiring abstract things like trust, respect, or someone's affection.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ganaste
Question 1 of 2
If your friend just told you they got a huge raise, which translation of 'ganaste' applies?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'ganaste' used in Latin America or only Spain?
**Ganaste** is used in all Spanish-speaking regions. It is simply the past tense form for 'tú'. However, in parts of Latin America where *voseo* (using 'vos' instead of 'tú') is common, the form might change to 'ganaste' (same as tú) or 'ganás' (present tense) depending on the country.
How do I say 'You won' but for a group of people?
If you are talking to a group of people, you would use the 'ustedes' form, which is **ganaron** (Ustedes ganaron). If you are in Spain and speaking to a group informally (vosotros), you would say **ganasteis**.