J'ai gagné
The English phrase "I won" is translated into French as J'ai gagné.
J'ai gagné is used to express that you have won games, bets, prizes or competitions.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound tense consisting of the subject Je (I), the auxiliary verb avoir (to have) and the past participle gagné (won).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly try to use the verb vaincre (to defeat) in the same way, but J'ai gagné is the standard way to express the state of being the winner of a game or bet.
Did you know?
- If you win a large sum of money, such as a lottery, you might use the more specific verb décrocher, which means 'to unhook' or 'to land' a prize.
- The verb gagner does not only mean 'to win', but is also the primary word for 'to earn' money. If a French speaker says J'ai gagné 100 euros, they could be talking about a lottery win or their hourly wage.
- While J'ai gagné is used for the result, French speakers use the phrase Gagner son pain to describe the act of earning a living. It literally translates to 'winning one's bread'.
Examples in context
- J'ai gagné le pari.I won the bet.This sentence is useful for showing how to use J'ai gagné regarding a bet.Tatoeba #10820333 by xbx, translation #5829231 by CK
- Youpi, j'ai gagné !Yay, I won!This sentence is useful for showing an excited exclamation using J'ai gagné.Tatoeba #12767121 by sacredceltic, translation #12886300 by rul
- J'ai gagné le combat.I won the fight.This sentence is useful for showing how to use J'ai gagné regarding a fight.Tatoeba #7793303 by Aiji, translation #2549541 by CK
- J'ai remporté la victoire lors du concours de chant.I won the singing competition.
- J'ai tout déchiré à la partie de poker hier soir!I crushed it at the poker game last night!
- C'est moi qui ai gagné le défi vidéo sur les réseaux sociaux!It's me who won the video challenge on social media!
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are playing a board game at home.
- LéaJ'ai gagné !I won!
- HugoC'est pas vrai, tu as de la chance.No way, you're lucky.
- LéaNon, j'ai simplement bien joué.No, I just played well.
- HugoBravo, Léa, tu es la championne.Well done, Léa, you are the champion.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
