How to Say "victor" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “victor” is “ganador” — use this for the most common and general sense of 'winner', especially in sports or competitions.
ganador
gah-nah-DORga.naˈðoɾ
Examples
El ganador de la carrera levantó el trofeo.
The winner of the race lifted the trophy.
¿Quién fue el ganador del debate anoche?
Who was the winner of the debate last night?
El equipo necesita un ganador, no solo un buen jugador.
The team needs a winner, not just a good player.
Gender Change
This word changes gender to match the person: 'ganador' is for a masculine winner, and 'ganadora' is for a feminine winner.
Confusing Noun and Verb
Mistake: “Using the verb form when you need the noun: 'Él es el ganar.'”
Correction: Use the noun form: 'Él es el ganador.' (He is the winner.)
ganadora
gah-nah-DOR-ahɡanaˈðoɾa
Examples
La ganadora del sorteo recibirá un viaje a España.
The winner of the raffle will receive a trip to Spain.
Ella fue la ganadora indiscutible de la carrera.
She was the undisputed winner of the race.
Feminine Ending
This word ends in 'a' because it specifically refers to a female winner. If you were talking about a male winner, you would use 'ganador'.
Gender Agreement
Mistake: “El ganadora”
Correction: La ganadora (or El ganador). Always match the 'the' (article) with the gender of the person.
vencedor
ben-seh-DORbenθeˈðor
Examples
El vencedor de la carrera recibió una medalla de oro.
The winner of the race received a gold medal.
No hubo un vencedor claro en el debate de anoche.
There wasn't a clear winner in last night's debate.
La historia siempre la escriben los vencedores.
History is always written by the victors.
Making it Feminine
To talk about a woman who wins, simply add an 'a' at the end to make it 'vencedora'.
Vencedor vs. Ganador
While both mean 'winner,' 'vencedor' often implies overcoming a specific opponent or a difficult challenge, whereas 'ganador' is more common for things like the lottery.
Using the wrong gender
Mistake: “La vencedor fue María.”
Correction: La vencedora fue María. You must add 'a' when referring to a female winner.
conquistador
kohn-kees-tah-DOHRkoŋkistaˈðoɾ
Examples
Hernán Cortés fue un famoso conquistador español.
Hernán Cortés was a famous Spanish conqueror.
El conquistador llegó a tierras desconocidas en el siglo XVI.
The conqueror arrived in unknown lands in the 16th century.
Se siente como un conquistador después de ganar la competencia.
He feels like a victor after winning the competition.
Making it Feminine
To talk about a woman who is a conqueror, simply add an 'a' at the end to make it 'conquistadora'.
Plural Form
Since the word ends in a consonant, you add '-es' to make it plural: 'conquistadores'.
Spelling with 'q'
Mistake: “conkistador”
Correction: conquistador (Always use 'qu' for the 'k' sound before 'i' or 'e' in Spanish).
victor
BEEK-torˈbiktoɾ
Examples
El victor fue recibido con honores a su regreso de la batalla.
The victor was received with honors upon his return from battle.
Solo un victor puede reclamar este premio.
Only a victor can claim this prize.
Masculine Noun
As a noun, 'victor' is always masculine, meaning you use 'el' before it (el victor) and the plural is 'los víctores'.
Ganador vs. Vencedor
Related Translations
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