gané
/gah-NEH/
I won
Gané: I won the competition!
gané(Verb)
I won
?In a game, competition, or contest
I beat
?Referring to an opponent
,I got
?A prize or award
📝 In Action
¡Ganamos! Espera, quise decir: ¡Ganamos el torneo!
A1We won! Wait, I meant: I won the tournament!
Ganó el primer lugar en la carrera de 100 metros.
A2I won first place in the 100-meter race.
Yo gané la apuesta, así que tú pagas la cena.
A1I won the bet, so you pay for dinner.
💡 Grammar Points
Yo Form in the Past
This is the 'I' form (yo) in the simple past tense (Preterite). It describes a single action that finished completely at a specific point in the past.
Accent Mark Change
Notice the accent mark on the 'é'. This is essential for all regular -AR verbs in the 'yo' preterite form, distinguishing it from the present tense ('gano').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent
Mistake: "Yo gane el juego."
Correction: Yo gané el juego. Without the accent, 'gane' is the present subjunctive form (used for wishes or commands), which changes the meaning completely.
⭐ Usage Tips
Past Tense Choice
Use 'gané' (simple past) when you know exactly when the winning happened (e.g., 'yesterday', 'last week'). Use 'ganaba' (imperfect) only to describe habitual winning or background actions.
Gané: I earned money for my work.
📝 In Action
Ganó un buen salario en su primer trabajo.
A2I earned a good salary in my first job.
No gané suficiente dinero para pagar la renta este mes.
A2I didn't earn enough money to pay the rent this month.
💡 Grammar Points
Earning vs. Saving
Remember that 'gané' means you actively earned the money (through work), not that you saved it. The verb for saving money is 'ahorrar'.
Gané: I gained experience through practice.
📝 In Action
Ganó mucha experiencia en ese proyecto tan largo.
B1I gained a lot of experience in that long project.
Después de las vacaciones, gané unos kilos.
B1After the vacation, I gained a few pounds (kilos).
💡 Grammar Points
Gaining Weight
To talk about gaining weight, Spanish often uses 'ganar' (gané peso/kilos), whereas English speakers might say 'put on' weight.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: gané
Question 1 of 2
Which English sentence correctly translates the Spanish: 'Ganó el respeto de sus colegas'?
📚 More Resources
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').