이기다
igida[iɡida̠]
To win in Korean, the default form is 이기다 (igida). Wiktionary also lists 승리하다 (seungnihada).
Meaning: transitive: achieve victory in (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 이기다 | igida | [iɡida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 승리하다 | seungnihada | [sʰɯŋniɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The verb is used to describe achieving victory in a contest or struggle. When you want to express the concept of an individual victory as a noun, you use 승리.
Which one should you use?
이기다 is the common, everyday verb used for winning a game, a match or a fight. While 이기다 means to win or to defeat, 승리하다 is used to mean to achieve victory. Additionally, if you are specifically referring to winning a championship or a tournament, you would use 우승하다.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you won against a specific opponent, you use the particle ~를/을 (object) or ~를 상대로 (against/facing). The past tense of 이기다 is 이겼다. To make the verb honorific, you can add –시– or –으시– to the verb forms. The antonym of 이기다 is 지다 (to lose).
How do you pronounce it?
igida
Did you know?
- In Korean gambling or gaming culture, players often use the word 먹다, meaning 'to eat', to describe winning a pot of money or taking a prize.
- The antonym 지다 (to lose) is also the same word used to describe the sun 'setting' or a flower 'withering', connecting loss to a natural end.
- The word 이기다 is a homonym that can also mean 'to withstand' or 'to endure', such as enduring a harsh winter or a strong temptation.
Examples in context
- 저희 팀은 지난 주 경기에서 승리했어요.Our team won the last match.
- 그 선수는 전국 대회에서 우승했어요.That player won the national championship.
- 오늘 경기에서 우리팀이 이겼어!We won the game today!
- 나는 게임에서 친구를 꺾었어!I defeated my friend in the game!
- – 어제 게임에서 친구를 이겼어?– Did you win against your friend in the game yesterday?
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are talking about a soccer game.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 어느 팀이 이기다 생각해요?Hyeon-u ssi, eoneu tim-i igida saenggakhaeyo?Hyunwoo, which team do you think will win?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo당연히 우리 팀이 이기다!dang-yeoni uri tim-i igida!Our team will win, of course!
- 수빈 Su-bin상대 팀도 아주 강해요.sangdae tim-do aju ganghaeyo.The opposing team is also very strong.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그래도 우리가 꼭 이기다.geuraedo uriga kkok igida.Still, we will definitely win.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “win” translations and entries 이기다, 승리하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
