Inklingo

How to Say "they beat" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ganan

/GAH-nahn//ˈɡanan/

verbA1general
Use 'ganan' when 'they beat' refers to defeating an opponent or winning a game or competition.
Two cheerful people standing on a winner's podium, one holding a shiny gold trophy.

Examples

Los jugadores siempre ganan cuando juegan en casa.

The players always win when they play at home.

¿Ustedes ganan la lotería con frecuencia?

Do you all win the lottery often?

Ellos ganan la carrera por un amplio margen.

They win the race by a wide margin.

The 'They' Form

Ganan is the verb form used when the people doing the action are 'ellos' (they, masculine/mixed) or 'ellas' (they, feminine) or 'ustedes' (you all/y'all).

golpearon

/gol-peh-AH-ron//ɡolpeˈaɾon/

verbA2general
Use 'golpearon' when 'they beat' refers to the physical act of hitting something, like a ball or a surface, usually with force or repeatedly.
A wooden mallet striking a metal bell, showing a forceful impact.

Examples

Ellos golpearon la pelota con mucha fuerza.

They hit the ball with a lot of force.

Las olas golpearon el muelle durante la tormenta.

The waves struck the pier during the storm.

The 'Finished Past' Form

This word is the 'they' or 'you all' form of a verb ending in -ar. Use it for actions that happened once and are completely finished.

Confusing with 'knocking'

Mistake: “Using 'golpearon' only for fighting.”

Correction: It is also the most common way to say someone knocked on a door!

Winning vs. Hitting

Learners often confuse 'ganan' and 'golpearon' because 'beat' can mean both winning and hitting in English. Remember: 'ganan' is for victory, while 'golpearon' is for the physical action of striking.

Related Translations

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