gagnant
/ɡa.ɲɑ̃/masculine
The English word "winner" can be translated into French as gagnant or vainqueur.
Meaning: one who has won or often wins (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gagnant | /ɡa.ɲɑ̃/ /ɡɑ.ɲɑ̃/ |
masculine |
| vainqueur | /vɛ̃.kœʁ/ | masculine |
Both terms describe someone who has won or often wins.
Which one should you use?
vainqueur carries a more formal or epic connotation and is often used in the context of official contests, battles or sports competitions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the adjective/noun gagnant is gagnante. While vainqueur is traditionally masculine, the feminine form vainqueure is increasingly used in modern French.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡa.ɲɑ̃/
Did you know?
- While gagnant comes from the verb gagner, that same verb is also used to describe the act of earning a salary or making money.
- The word vainqueur shares a common ancestor with the English verb 'vanquish', meaning to overcome or defeat an opponent completely.
- The word gagnant is frequently used in the phrase gagnant-gagnant to translate the English business term 'win-win'.
Examples in context
- Tu es un gagnant.You're a winner.This sentence is useful for identifying a person as a gagnant.Tatoeba #11349041 by felix63, translation #2218047 by CK
- Je suis le vainqueur.I'm the winner.This sentence is useful for identifying oneself as the vainqueur.Tatoeba #9065957 by Aiji, translation #2248280 by CK
- Il y a eu un vainqueur.There was a winner.This sentence is useful for stating the existence of a vainqueur.Tatoeba #5803753 by Aiji, translation #4502896 by CK
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are playing a board game.
- GabrielJ'ai fini le jeu, je suis le gagnant !I finished the game, I am the winner!
- ChloéC'est vrai, tu as gagné cette fois.That's true, you won this time.
- GabrielQui est le gagnant du tour précédent ?Who is the winner of the previous round?
- ChloéC'était moi, Gabriel.It was me, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “winner” translations and entries gagnant, vainqueur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gagnant, vainqueur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
