Inklingo

How to Say "won" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ganó

verbA1
Use this when referring to the past tense action of winning a competition, game, or prize.

Examples

Mi equipo favorito ganó el partido de fútbol anoche.

My favorite team won the soccer game last night.

ganado

gah-NAH-dohɡaˈnaðo

past participleA1
Use this as part of a compound verb tense (like 'haber ganado') to express that something has been won, often in competition or games.
A high-quality illustration of a large, shiny gold trophy cup standing prominently on a simple wooden pedestal, symbolizing victory.

Examples

Hemos ganado el partido por dos puntos.

We have won the game by two points.

Es el dinero que has ganado con tu esfuerzo.

It is the money that you have earned with your effort.

La medalla ganada era de oro.

The medal won was gold. (Here, it acts like an adjective)

Forming Perfect Tenses

The past participle ('ganado') never changes when used with the verb 'haber' (to have) to create perfect tenses: 'Yo he ganado' (I have won), 'Ellas han ganado' (They have won).

Adjective Use

When 'ganado' is used as a standalone adjective (like 'won' or 'earned'), it MUST match the thing it describes in number and gender: 'Las batallas ganadas' (The won battles).

Changing Gender in Perfect Tenses

Mistake: “Hemos ganada la copa.”

Correction: Hemos GANADO la copa. The participle is fixed when used with 'haber', regardless of the noun's gender.

won

u-onuˈon

nounB1
Use this when referring to the currency of North and South Korea.
A shiny gold coin featuring a traditional Korean hibiscous flower design.

Examples

El won es la moneda oficial de Corea del Sur.

The won is the official currency of South Korea.

He cambiado mis euros por wones en el aeropuerto.

I exchanged my euros for wones at the airport.

El valor del won frente al dólar ha bajado recientemente.

The value of the won against the dollar has dropped recently.

Making it Plural

To talk about more than one won, you add '-es' at the end to make it 'wones'. This is the standard rule for Spanish words ending in a consonant.

Masculine Gender

Like most currencies in Spanish (el euro, el dólar), 'won' is a masculine word. Always use 'el' or 'un' with it.

Using the English Plural

Mistake: “Tengo mil wons.”

Correction: Tengo mil wones. (In Spanish, we don't just add 's' to words ending in 'n'; we add 'es'.)

Verb vs. Past Participle Confusion

Learners often confuse 'ganó' and 'ganado'. Remember that 'ganó' is the simple past tense verb, used alone. 'Ganado' is a past participle, almost always used with 'haber' (e.g., 'ha ganado', 'hemos ganado').

Related Translations

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