winnen

Winnen is a Dutch verb meaning to achieve victory in a competition or conflict, or to obtain something as a result of effort, luck, or competition. It is commonly used with prizes, titles, money, or other benefits. Examples include een prijs winnen (to win a prize) and een kampioenschap winnen (to win a championship).

In the present tense the forms are: ik win, jij wint, hij/zij wint, wij winnen, jullie winnen, zij winnen. The past tense is: ik won, jij won, hij won, wij wonnen, jullie wonnen, zij wonnen. The past participle is gewonnen, and the perfect tense is formed with hebben: ik heb gewonnen.

The word is of Germanic origin and is cognate with German gewinnen and English win, reflecting common roots in the same language family.

Usage notes: winnen often denotes success in competition or the acquisition of something through effort or luck. It is distinct from overwinnen (to overcome) and from verdienen (to deserve or earn, in a moral or qualitative sense). The related noun winst means profit or gain; plural winsten may be used in business contexts. Examples: Hij heeft het kampioenschap gewonnen; Zij heeft geld gewonnen in de loterij.