Vencer Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

vencer means "to defeat, to overcome" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows vencer in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of vencer, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with vencer

To defeat

Vencer means to defeat. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Yo venzo a su rival — "I defeat his rival"
  2. Él vence el miedo — "He defeats fear"
  3. Yo vencí en el partido — "I defeated in the match"
  4. Yo vencía a su rival — "I used to defeat his rival"
  5. Yo venceré el miedo — "I will defeat fear"
  6. Yo he vencido en el partido — "I have defeated in the match"

To overcome

Vencer means to overcome. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Él venció en el partido — "He defeated in the match"
  2. Él vencía a su rival — "He used to defeat his rival"
  3. Tú vencerás el miedo — "You will defeat fear"
  4. Yo vencería en el partido — "I would defeat in the match"
  5. Yo había vencido a su rival — "I had defeated his rival"
  6. Nosotros vencemos el miedo — "We defeat fear"

Vencer in conversation

The two dialogues below show vencer in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú vences a su rival? — "Do you defeat his rival?"
  • Sí, yo venzo a su rival cada día. — "Yes, I defeat his rival every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú venciste el miedo? — "And yesterday? Did you defeat fear?"
  • Sí, yo vencí el miedo. — "Yes, I defeated fear."
  • Mañana, yo venceré en el partido también. — "Tomorrow, I will defeat in the match too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros vencéis a su rival? — "Do you defeat his rival?"
  • Sí, nosotros vencemos a su rival los fines de semana. — "Yes, We defeat his rival at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos vencen el miedo? — "And them? Do they defeat fear?"
  • Sí, ellos vencen el miedo también. — "Yes, They defeat fear too."
  • Mañana nosotros venceremos el miedo otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will defeat fear again."

Useful phrases with vencer

Four patterns you can use with vencer in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a vencer a su rival. — "I am going to defeat his rival."
  • Quiero vencer el miedo. — "I want to defeat fear."
  • Me gusta vencer en el partido. — "I like to defeat in the match."
  • Acabo de vencer a su rival. — "I have just defeated his rival."

Common mistakes with vencer in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos vence a su rival.
  • Right: Ellos vencen a su rival.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form vencen. The singular vence belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo vencí.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo venzo.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy vencido el miedo.
  • Right: Yo he vencido el miedo.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he vencido, has vencido, ha vencido.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo venzo.
  • Right: Ayer, yo vencí.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (vencí). The present (venzo) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él vence a su rival.
  • Right: Espero que él venza a su rival.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: venza. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: vencer in use

Ten questions on vencer across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of vencer in the present tense?

  • (a) venceremos
  • (b) vencemos
  • (c) venzo
  • (d) venza

Answer: (c) venzo. The I form in the present is venzo.

2. What is the he / she form of vencer in the present tense?

  • (a) vencéis
  • (b) vencen
  • (c) habré vencido
  • (d) vence

Answer: (d) vence. The he / she form in the present is vence.

3. What is the he / she form of vencer in the preterite tense?

  • (a) venceré
  • (b) habrá vencido
  • (c) venció
  • (d) vencería

Answer: (c) venció. The he / she form in the preterite is venció.

4. What is the I form of vencer in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) habíamos vencido
  • (b) vencería
  • (c) venciste
  • (d) vencía

Answer: (d) vencía. The I form in the imperfect is vencía.

5. What is the I form of vencer in the future tense?

  • (a) venceré
  • (b) venciste
  • (c) habréis vencido
  • (d) vencisteis

Answer: (a) venceré. The I form in the future is venceré.

6. What is the I form of vencer in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) vencías
  • (b) he vencido
  • (c) venciste
  • (d) vencierais

Answer: (b) he vencido. The I form in the present perfect is he vencido.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ a su rival.

  • (a) venzan
  • (b) venzas
  • (c) venzamos
  • (d) venza

Answer: (d) venza. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is venza.

8. What is the we form of vencer in the present tense?

  • (a) habías vencido
  • (b) venzan
  • (c) vencemos
  • (d) has vencido

Answer: (c) vencemos. The we form in the present is vencemos.

9. What is the I form of vencer in the preterite tense?

  • (a) habías vencido
  • (b) vencí
  • (c) vence
  • (d) venciéramos

Answer: (b) vencí. The I form in the preterite is vencí.

10. What is the they form of vencer in the present tense?

  • (a) había vencido
  • (b) venzas
  • (c) habremos vencido
  • (d) vencen

Answer: (d) vencen. The they form in the present is vencen.

Frequently asked questions about vencer

Is vencer regular?

Vencer is a spelling-changing -er (c → z before o/a) verb: venzo, vences, vence. See the full conjugation of vencer for every tense.

How do I say “I defeat” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo vencí el miedo. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Yo vencía en el partido.

How can I practise vencer?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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