Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| vincere | /ˈvin.t͡ʃe.re/ |
| guadagnare | /ɡwa.daɲˈɲa.re/ |
The most common way to express winning is using the verb vincere, which is specifically used when you achieve victory in a competition, a game or a race. If you want to express the idea of winning through earning or gaining money, such as a salary or profit, use guadagnare instead. Related nouns include traguardo and successo for an achievement or feat, and guadagno for a gain or profit.
Which one should you use?
Use vincere when referring to winning a game, a race or a competition. Use guadagnare when 'winning' refers to earning or gaining money, such as a salary or profit.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Common conjugations of vincere include: Io vinco (I win), Tu vinci (You win), Egli/ella vince (He/she wins), Noi vinciamo (We win), Voi vincete (You all win) and Essi/esse vincono (They win). You may also use the phrase Essere il vincitore or la vincitrice to express 'to be the winner'.
How do you pronounce it?
vincere is pronounced /ˈvin.tʃe.re/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While vincere means victory, the phrase vincere a mani basse describes winning effortlessly, literally meaning 'to win with low hands'.
- The verb vincere is a direct relative of the English word 'convince', which comes from the Latin root for overcoming someone with an argument.
- The word for 'to win' money, guadagnare, actually shares a distant ancestor with the Germanic word for 'to hunt' or 'to graze'.
Examples in context
- Sa che può vincere.He knows he can win.This sentence uses vincere to show someone's ability to win.Tatoeba #7663806 by Guybrush88, translation #7405833 by CH
- Ci aiutò a vincere.He helped us win.This sentence uses vincere to show someone helping others win.Tatoeba #8483073 by Guybrush88, translation #8480840 by CH
- È sicuro di vincere.He is sure to win.This sentence uses vincere to express certainty about winning.Tatoeba #614217 by Guybrush88, translation #289664 by CK
- La squadra italiana vince la partita.The Italian team wins the match.
- Ho vinto un premio per il mio lavoro.I won an award for my work.
- Grazie al suo impegno, la nostra azienda vince la concorrenza.Thanks to his/her commitment, our company beats the competition.
- Sono il vincitore.I am the winner.
- Lei è la vincitrice del concorso.She is the winner of the competition.
- Il nostro team ha spaccato la partita!Our team crushed the match!
- Ah, ragazzi! Abbiamo sbancato!Wow, guys! We hit the jackpot!
- 817 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are discussing a tennis tournament.
- SofiaLorenzo, pensi di vincere domani?Lorenzo, do you think you will win tomorrow?
- LorenzoSpero di sì, Sofia.I hope so, Sofia.
- SofiaTi meriti di vincere.You deserve to win.
- LorenzoGrazie mille per il supporto.Thanks a lot for the support.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “win” translations and entries vincere, guadagnare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guadagnare, vincere, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
