ganó
“ganó” means “won” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
wonAlso: beat
📝 In Action
Mi equipo favorito ganó el partido de fútbol anoche.
A1My favorite team won the soccer game last night.
¿Quién ganó el premio al mejor chef del año?
A2Who won the award for the best chef of the year?
Usted ganó la votación por un margen muy pequeño.
B1You (formal) won the vote by a very small margin.
Word Connections
earnedAlso: made
📝 In Action
Ella ganó un buen sueldo en su trabajo anterior.
A2She earned a good salary in her previous job.
El negocio ganó $10,000 en su primer mes de operación.
B1The business earned $10,000 in its first month of operation.
Word Connections
gainedAlso: acquired, picked up
📝 In Action
El coche ganó velocidad rápidamente en la autopista.
B1The car gained speed quickly on the highway.
Con esa decisión, el presidente ganó el apoyo del público.
B2With that decision, the president gained the public's support.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ganó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ganó' in the sense of 'earning money'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The verb 'ganar' comes from the Old High German word *waidanjan, meaning 'to graze' or 'to pasture.' It evolved in Romance languages to mean 'to work for one's living' and eventually 'to obtain' or 'to win.'
First recorded: Around the 10th-11th century in early Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'ganó' and 'gana'?
'Ganó' (with the accent) is the past tense: 'He/She/You won' or 'He/She/You earned.' 'Gana' (no accent) is the present tense: 'He/She/You win/earns.' The accent mark is the only difference and it changes the time frame completely!
Can 'ganó' be used to mean 'beat' or 'defeated' someone?
Yes, absolutely! While the literal translation is 'won,' in a sports context, 'Mi equipo ganó a los rivales' means 'My team beat the rivals.' It's a very common usage.