gagner

Gagner is a French verb that means to win, to earn, or to gain. It is widely used in everyday language and covers a range of senses, from succeeding in a competition to obtaining money or time. Examples include winning a match, earning a salary, or gaining an advantage.

In practical use, gagner appears in many common expressions. For instance, gagner un match expresses victory in sports; gagner de l’argent or gagner sa vie refers to earning money or making a living; gagner du temps means to save or gain time; and gagner du terrain is used figuratively to indicate progress or advancement.

Conjugation and forms: Gagner is a regular -er verb. In the present tense: je gagne, tu gagnes, il/elle gagne, nous gagnons, vous gagnez, ils/elles gagnent. The passé composé is formed with the auxiliary avoir: j’ai gagné. The imperfect is je gagnais; the future is je gagnerai. The subjunctive present is que je gagne. The imperative forms are gagne, gagnons, gagnez. The past participle is gagné. The present participle or gerund is gagnant.

Related forms include the noun le gain (a profit or gain), and the adjective or noun gagnant/gagnante (winner). The expression gagne-pain refers to a livelihood. The term can also appear in compound adjectives like gagnant-gagnant to describe a win-win situation.

Etymology traces back to Old French gagner, indicating a historical sense of obtaining or attaining something. Today, gagner remains one of the most common verbs in French, essential for talking about success, earnings, and progress.