Inklingo

How to Say "to defeat" in Spanish

English → Spanish

derrotar

/deh-rroh-TAHR//deroˈtaɾ/

verbB1general
Use this word when you mean to overcome an opponent or adversary in a competition, battle, or struggle.
A colorful illustration of a small blue bird standing atop a large mountain, looking down at a giant dragon that has fallen asleep.

Examples

El equipo local derrotó a los visitantes por un marcador de 3-0.

The local team defeated the visitors by a score of 3-0.

Nuestro equipo derrotó al campeón el año pasado.

Our team defeated the champion last year.

El ajedrecista derrotó a su oponente en solo diez movimientos.

The chess player beat his opponent in only ten moves.

The 'Personal A'

When you use this word to talk about defeating a specific person or a group of people, you must use the word 'a' before them. Example: 'Derrotaron a los gigantes'.

Ganar vs. Derrotar

Mistake: “Using 'ganar' when referring to the person you beat.”

Correction: Say 'Derroté a mi hermano' (I defeated my brother) instead of 'Gané a mi hermano'. You 'ganar' (win) a trophy or a game, but you 'derrotar' (defeat) an opponent.

conquistar

/kohn-kees-TAHR//koŋkisˈtaɾ/

verbB1general
Use this word specifically when referring to the military or political act of conquering territories or peoples, often implying subjugation.
A brave knight planting a colorful flag on top of a grassy hill to claim the land.

Examples

Los romanos conquistaron gran parte de Europa.

The Romans conquered a large part of Europe.

Alejandro Magno conquistó muchos territorios.

Alexander the Great conquered many territories.

Es difícil conquistar un país tan grande.

It is difficult to conquer such a large country.

Standard -ar verb

This verb follows the usual rules for verbs ending in -ar. If you know how to use 'hablar', you can use 'conquistar'!

Confusion with 'Ganar'

Mistake: “Using 'conquistar' for winning a simple game.”

Correction: Use 'ganar' for games or prizes. 'Conquistar' is for taking over something through effort or force.

ganar

/gah-NAR//ɡaˈnaɾ/

verbB1general
Use this word when you mean to win against someone in a specific contest, race, or game, focusing on the victory itself.
Two cartoon athletes running a foot race, with one athlete clearly breaking the finish line tape ahead of the other.

Examples

Le gané a mi hermano en ajedrez.

I beat my brother at chess.

Te gané en la carrera.

I beat you in the race.

Nuestro equipo le ganó al campeón del año pasado.

Our team beat last year's champion.

Es muy difícil ganarle a ella en ajedrez.

It's very difficult to beat her at chess.

Beating Someone

When you use 'ganar' to mean 'beat', you often put a little word like 'le' or 'les' right before it to point to the person you beat. For example, 'Le gané' (I beat him/her).

Choosing between 'derrotar' and 'ganar'

Learners often confuse 'derrotar' and 'ganar'. While both mean to overcome an opponent, 'derrotar' emphasizes the act of defeating the opponent, whereas 'ganar' focuses more on achieving victory in a specific event.

Related Translations

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