gagner
/ɡaɲe/
Infinitive: gagner
Meaning: to win, to earn, to gain
Auxiliary: avoir
gagner is a pivotal French verb used to express victory, earning, and gaining, reflecting success and achievement in diverse situations.
- Infinitive: gagner
- Meanings: to win (a game, competition), to earn (money, salary), to gain (time, advantage)
- Auxiliary Verb: avoir
- Usage: Used for both tangible (money, prizes) and intangible (respect, time) gains.
- Root: From Latin winnare (related to victory and gain).
*gagner* means to win, to earn, and to gain.
Conjugation Overview
gagner is a regular -er verb with predictable conjugations, making it easy to use once the pattern is learned.
*gagner* is a regular -er verb.
| Tense | Example (je) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Present | gagne | I win/I earn |
| Passé Composé | ai gagné | I won/I earned |
| Imparfait | gagnais | I was winning/I used to earn |
| Futur | gagnerai | I will win/I will earn |
| Conditionnel | gagnerais | I would win/I would earn |
| Subjonctif | gagne | (que) I win/I earn |
'gagner' uses 'avoir' as its auxiliary verb.
Present Tense: Gagner
Meaning: to win, to earn, to gain (used for both outcomes and rewards)
Conjugation:
je gagne | tu gagnes | il/elle gagne | nous gagnons | vous gagnez | ils/elles gagnent
Example:
- Elle gagne toujours aux échecs.
(She always wins at chess.)
- Nous gagnons notre vie honnêtement.
(We earn our living honestly.)
Passé Composé: Avoir Gagné
Meaning: won, earned, gained
Form: avoir + gagné
Example:
- Il a gagné un prix.
(He won a prize.)
- Vous avez gagné beaucoup d’argent.
(You earned a lot of money.)
'gagner' means 'won' or 'earned' in passé composé.
Imparfait: Gagnais
Meaning: was/were winning, used to earn (habitual/ongoing in past)
Conjugation:
je gagnais | tu gagnais | il/elle gagnait | nous gagnions | vous gagniez | ils/elles gagnaient
Example:
- Quand j’étais jeune, je gagnais souvent des concours.
(When I was young, I often won contests.)
- Il gagnait beaucoup avant la crise.
(He used to earn a lot before the crisis.)
The imparfait stem of 'gagner' is 'gagna-'.
Futur Simple: Gagnerai
Meaning: will win/will earn
Form: je + gagner + ai
Example:
- Tu gagneras beaucoup si tu travailles dur.
(You will earn a lot if you work hard.)
- L’équipe gagnera le match demain.
(The team will win the match tomorrow.)
Conditional: Gagnerais
Meaning: would win/would earn
Form: je + gagner + ais
Example:
- Si j’avais de l’argent, je gagnerais en bourse.
(If I had money, I would earn on the stock market.)
- Elle gagnerait si elle participait.
(She would win if she participated.)
Common Expressions with Gagner
- gagner du temps — to save time
- gagner sa vie — to earn a living
- gagner en — to gain (in strength, quality)
- gagner un pari — to win a bet
Conclusion
gagner is a versatile French verb essential for discussing success, whether it’s winning a game, earning money, or gaining an advantage. Its regular conjugation pattern makes it accessible for learners at all levels.
- Both a literal and figurative verb for success and achievement.
- Regular -er verb: easy to conjugate in all tenses.
- Used in many useful expressions for everyday conversation.
'gagner' means to win, to earn, and to gain.
'gagner' is a regular -er verb.
'gagner' uses 'avoir' as auxiliary verb in passé composé.