You've probably heard the French word 'gagner' for 'to win,' and it's certainly a go-to. But just like in English, where we have 'succeed,' 'triumph,' or 'prevail,' French offers a rich variety of expressions to convey the idea of winning.

Learning these nuances will not only make your French sound more natural but also allow you to express yourself with greater precision and flair.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say 'to win' in French, exploring when and how to use each one!

The standard 'to win' – gagner

The standard 'to win' – gagner

Gagner is the most basic and common verb for 'to win' in French.

As a regular -er verb, gagner follows a straightforward conjugation pattern, making it relatively easy to learn and use in various tenses.

Its primary use is in the context of competitions, games, or elections, meaning 'to win' a prize, a match, or an election. For example, gagner un match (to win a match) or gagner les élections (to win the elections).

Gagner also frequently means 'to earn,' particularly when referring to money or a salary. You would use it to say someone 'earns' a living or a certain amount of money.

Beyond winning and earning, gagner can also mean 'to gain' or 'to save,' especially with concepts like time, weight, or space. For instance, gagner du temps (to save/gain time) or gagner du poids (to gain weight).

A very common expression is gagner sa vie, which literally translates to 'to win one's life' but actually means 'to earn one's living' or 'to make a living'.

Due to its diverse meanings – from winning a game to earning money and gaining time – gagner is an incredibly versatile and essential verb for any French learner.

💡 * Nous avons gagné le match. (We won the match.)

• Elle gagne bien sa vie. (She earns a good living.)
• Il faut gagner du temps. (We need to save time.)
• J'espère gagner à la loterie un jour. (I hope to win the lottery one day.)
• Tu vas gagner de l'expérience. (You're going to gain experience.)

To win, carry off (a prize, a competition) – remporter

The verb remporter is a powerful French verb that translates to 'to win' or 'to carry off.' It's often used when discussing victories, prizes, or competitions, carrying a slightly more formal and significant tone than the general verb gagner.

While gagner can be used for winning anything from a lottery ticket to a game, remporter specifically implies winning a prize, a trophy, a title, or a competition where something tangible or a significant achievement is 'carried off' or secured. Think of it as 'to bring back' a victory.

You'll frequently encounter remporter in contexts such as sports, elections, awards ceremonies, or any situation where a clear victor emerges and claims a specific award or title. It highlights the successful conclusion of a contest.

The use of remporter often suggests a more hard-fought or noteworthy achievement. It implies that the victory wasn't just handed over, but rather earned through effort and competition, and the prize or title is now definitively held by the winner.

Remporter is a regular -er verb, making its conjugation straightforward. It follows the pattern of verbs like chanter or parler. For example: je remporte, tu remportes, il/elle/on remporte, nous remportons, vous remportez, ils/elles remportent.

💡 * L'équipe a remporté le championnat. (The team won the championship.)

• Elle a remporté la médaille d'or aux Jeux Olympiques. (She won the gold medal at the Olympic Games.)
• Le candidat a remporté les élections avec une large majorité. (The candidate won the elections by a large majority.)
• Son dernier film a remporté plusieurs prix internationaux. (His latest film won several international awards.)
• Ils espèrent remporter le contrat. (They hope to win the contract.)

To win, land, secure (a prize, a contract, a job) – décrocher

The French verb décrocher is a versatile and commonly used term, especially when talking about successfully winning, landing, or securing something desirable, like a job, a contract, or a prize.

Literally, décrocher means "to unhook," "to take down (from a hook)," or "to pick up (a phone receiver)." This literal sense helps understand its figurative applications.

One of its most frequent uses is to describe successfully landing a job or securing a contract. It implies effort and competition, where you've managed to "take down" the opportunity.

Décrocher is also perfectly suited for winning a prize, an award, or even a medal. It conveys the idea of achieving a coveted item or recognition.

Think of it as taking something that was "hanging" out of reach or on offer, and successfully "unhooking" it for yourself. This metaphor helps bridge the literal and figurative meanings.

As a regular -ER verb, décrocher follows standard conjugation patterns, making it relatively straightforward to use once you grasp its various meanings.

💡 * J'espère décrocher ce poste. (I hope to land this job.)

• Elle a décroché le gros lot à la loterie. (She won the jackpot in the lottery.)
• Nous avons enfin décroché le contrat. (We finally secured the contract.)
• Il a décroché une médaille d'or aux Jeux Olympiques. (He won a gold medal at the Olympic Games.)
• Tu devrais décrocher ton téléphone. (You should pick up your phone.)

To triumph, win a great victory – triompher

The verb triompher means "to triumph" or "to win a great victory" in French. It implies a significant, often decisive, success, suggesting more than just a simple win.

Triompher is frequently used with the preposition de (of/from) to specify what or whom one triumphs over. For instance, "triompher de ses ennemis" translates to "to triumph over one's enemies."

This verb conveys a powerful sense of definitive victory, often achieved after overcoming a considerable struggle or challenge. It signifies a celebrated and conclusive success.

As a regular -er verb, triompher follows predictable conjugation patterns, making it relatively simple to conjugate across various tenses for learners.

💡 * L'équipe a triomphé de ses adversaires en finale. (The team triumphed over its opponents in the final.)

• Elle a triomphé de la maladie après une longue bataille. (She triumphed over the illness after a long battle.)
• Le général triomphe et rentre acclamé par la foule. (The general triumphs and returns acclaimed by the crowd.)
• Malgré toutes les difficultés, il a su triompher. (Despite all the difficulties, he managed to triumph.)

To conquer, defeat (an opponent) – vaincre

The French verb vaincre (pronounced van-kruh) directly translates to “to conquer,” “to defeat,” or “to overcome an opponent or obstacle.” It’s a powerful verb often used in contexts of struggle and triumph.

This verb is primarily used when one entity successfully defeats another in a competition, battle, or challenge. Think of sports, war, or even overcoming personal difficulties.

Vaincre is an irregular verb, which means its conjugation doesn't follow standard patterns. Key forms include the present tense (je vaincs, tu vaincs, il/elle/on vainc, nous vainquons, vous vainquez, ils/elles vainquent) and the past participle vaincu.

You’ll hear vaincre used for teams winning a match, armies defeating an enemy, or individuals overcoming a fear or illness. It implies a clear victory after a struggle.

Closely associated with vaincre are the noun la victoire (victory) and the adjective/noun vainqueur (victorious, or the winner/victor). Learning these together enhances your understanding.

💡 * L'équipe a vaincu ses adversaires en finale. (The team defeated their opponents in the final.)

• Il a vaincu sa peur du vide. (He overcame his fear of heights.)
• Les soldats ont vaincu l'ennemi après une longue bataille. (The soldiers defeated the enemy after a long battle.)
• Pour vaincre la pauvreté, il faut des efforts collectifs. (To conquer poverty, collective efforts are needed.)

To impose oneself, win, dominate (in a competition) – s'imposer

The French verb s'imposer literally translates to 'to impose oneself.' However, in many contexts, especially competitive ones, it takes on the meaning of 'to win,' 'to dominate,' or 'to prevail' in a strong, assertive manner. It's more than just a simple victory; it implies asserting one's superiority.

Unlike gagner (to win), s'imposer suggests a victory where one's will, style, or strength is clearly established, leaving little doubt about who was the better competitor. It conveys a sense of mastery and control, often implying that the opponent had no real chance against the dominant force.

This verb is particularly common in sports commentary, political analysis, and any scenario involving a clear contest. When a team or individual s'impose, they don't just win; they do so by demonstrating clear superiority and often by dictating the terms of the competition.

S'imposer is a pronominal verb, meaning it's always used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se). For example, 'I impose myself' is je m'impose, and 'they imposed themselves' is ils se sont imposés. This reflexive nature highlights the act of 'imposing oneself'.

💡 *L'équipe de France s'est imposée 3 à 0. (The French team won/dominated 3-0.)
*Il s'est imposé comme le meilleur joueur du tournoi. (He established himself as the best player of the tournament.)
*Malgré la pression, le champion a su s'imposer. (Despite the pressure, the champion managed to assert himself/win.)
*Le candidat s'est imposé avec une large majorité. (The candidate won/prevailed with a large majority.)

To obtain, get (a prize, a result) – obtenir

The verb obtenir directly translates to 'to obtain' or 'to get' in English. It implies gaining possession or achieving something through effort or process.

It is frequently used when talking about achievements, results, prizes, degrees, permissions, or information. For instance, you would use obtenir to say 'to get a good grade' or 'to obtain permission'.

Obtenir is an irregular verb, belonging to the same family as tenir (to hold) and venir (to come). This means its conjugation follows a similar pattern to these verbs, especially in the present tense and past participle.

💡 * Elle a obtenu son diplôme avec mention. (She obtained her degree with honors.)

• Nous espérons obtenir de bons résultats à l'examen. (We hope to get good results on the exam.)
• J'ai dû travailler dur pour obtenir cette promotion. (I had to work hard to get this promotion.)
• Il est difficile d'obtenir un visa pour ce pays. (It is difficult to obtain a visa for this country.)
• Pouvez-vous obtenir plus d'informations à ce sujet ? (Can you get more information on this topic?)

To get the upper hand, win over – prendre le dessus

The French phrase prendre le dessus literally translates to “to take the above” or “to take the top,” but its idiomatic meaning is “to get the upper hand” or “to win over.”

This versatile expression signifies gaining an advantage, overcoming a difficulty, or asserting dominance in a situation. It implies a struggle or competition where one party ultimately prevails.

You can use prendre le dessus in various contexts, from a debate where one argument is more convincing, to a sports match where one team starts to dominate, or even an emotional struggle where reason overcomes fear.

Remember that prendre is an irregular verb, so its conjugation will change with the subject. Le dessus remains invariant.

💡 * L'équipe a pris le dessus en deuxième mi-temps. (The team got the upper hand in the second half.)

• Il a réussi à prendre le dessus sur sa timidité. (He managed to overcome his shyness.)
• Malgré les difficultés, elle a toujours pris le dessus. (Despite the difficulties, she always got the upper hand/prevailed.)
• Dans le débat, son argument a rapidement pris le dessus. (In the debate, his argument quickly won over.)

To bring back, yield (money, a prize) – rapporter

The French verb rapporter primarily means 'to bring back' or 'to take back'. It implies returning something to its original place or bringing something from one place to another, usually back to the starting point or to a specific destination.

Beyond simply 'bringing back', rapporter is frequently used to mean 'to yield', 'to produce', or 'to earn', especially when referring to money, profits, or prizes. Think of it as something 'bringing in' a benefit or result.

Another key meaning of rapporter is 'to report' or 'to relate' information, news, or a story. In this context, it's about conveying information to someone.

It's important to distinguish rapporter from similar verbs like apporter (to bring something to a place, generally not back) and ramener (to bring a person or animal back, or to bring something back to a less specific location, often with the nuance of accompaniment). Rapporter often implies bringing back an object or information.

Rapporter is a regular -er verb, meaning its conjugation follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -er. For example, in the present tense: je rapporte, tu rapportes, il/elle/on rapporte, nous rapportons, vous rapportez, ils/elles rapportent.

💡 *Il a rapporté des souvenirs de son voyage. (He brought back some souvenirs from his trip.)
*Cet investissement rapporte beaucoup d'argent. (This investment yields a lot of money.)
*Le journaliste a rapporté la nouvelle. (The journalist reported the news.)
*Ce travail ne rapporte pas beaucoup. (This job doesn't bring in much.)
*Elle a rapporté un trophée de la compétition. (She brought back a trophy from the competition.)

Are there other ways to say 'to win' in French?

Are there other ways to say “to win” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “to win” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire gagner en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for gagner on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about winning.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of victories or successes, or words about achievement in French, the WordReference entry for gagner is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Napoleon Bonaparte: La victoire appartient au plus persévérant. (Victory belongs to the most persevering.)