Introduction

Vencer means “to defeat”, and this page covers exactly one thing: vencer in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for vencer, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about vencer in the present. Vencer in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo venzo a su rival” — "I defeat his rival". Everything on this page uses the forms of vencer exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Vencer in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo venzo
tú vences
él/ella/Ud. vence
nosotros/as vencemos
vosotros/as vencéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. vencen

Gerund: venciendo · Past participle: vencido

The gerund is venciendo, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy venciendo” means the action of vencer is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is vencido, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he vencido” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how vencer is used.

How the present of vencer is formed

Vencer is a spelling-changing -er (c → z before o/a) verb in the present. Take the stem venc and add the present endings for -er verbs: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en, giving venzo, vences, vence, vencemos, vencéis, vencen. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, vencéis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The spelling change is the other thing to watch: the yo form is venzo, with c changing to z before o, and the same z spelling appears in the present subjunctive. The other persons keep the plain stem: vences, vence, vencemos. The present of vencer is regular in its endings, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form vencéis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form venzo is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of vencer

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use vencer in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, vencer goes in the present. Example: “Yo venzo el miedo” — "I defeat fear".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about vencer does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él vence en el partido” — "He defeats in the match".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so venzo can mean both "I defeat" and "I am defeating". Example: “Yo venzo a su rival” — "I defeat his rival".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros vencemos el miedo” — "We defeat fear".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with vencer just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él vence en el partido” — "He defeats in the match".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo venzo a su rival” — "I defeat his rival".

  • Preterite: “Yo vencí a su rival” — "I defeated his rival".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él vence el miedo” — "He defeats fear".

  • Preterite: “Él venció el miedo” — "He defeated fear".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros vencemos en el partido” — "We defeat in the match".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros vencimos en el partido” — "We defeated in the match".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

Example sentences: vencer in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo venzo el miedo” — "I defeat fear"

  2. “Tú vences en el partido” — "You defeat in the match"

  3. “Él vence a su rival” — "He defeats his rival"

  4. “Nosotros vencemos el miedo” — "We defeat fear"

  5. “Vosotros vencéis en el partido” — "You defeat in the match"

  6. “Ellos vencen a su rival” — "They defeat his rival"

  7. “Yo venzo el miedo” — "I defeat fear"

  8. “Él vence en el partido” — "He defeats in the match"

Common mistakes with vencer in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • 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.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo vencí” Right: “Todos los días, yo venzo” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (vencí) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo vence a su rival.” Right: “Yo venzo a su rival” Why: Yo needs the yo form venzo. The él form vence belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo venzo” Right: “Ayer, yo vencí” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to vencí.

Quiz: vencer in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ en el partido.” (yo form)

A. vencemos B. venzo C. vences D. vencéis

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ a su rival.” (tú form)

A. vence B. vencen C. vences D. vencéis

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ el miedo.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. venzo B. vencemos C. vence D. vences

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ en el partido.” (nosotros/as form)

A. vencemos B. vencen C. vencéis D. vences

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ a su rival.” (vosotros/as form)

A. vences B. vencen C. vencéis D. vence

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ el miedo.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. vencen B. vencemos C. vencéis D. venzo

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo venzo B. Todos los días, yo vencí

Answer key

  1. venzo — The yo present of vencer is venzo.
  2. vences — The tú present of vencer is vences.
  3. vence — The él/ella/Ud. present of vencer is vence.
  4. vencemos — The nosotros/as present of vencer is vencemos.
  5. vencéis — The vosotros/as present of vencer is vencéis.
  6. vencen — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of vencer is vencen.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo venzo — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of vencer?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo venzo a su rival. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of vencer formed?

Take the stem venc- and add the present endings for -er verbs (-o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en), giving venzo, vences, vence, vencemos, vencéis, vencen.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for vencer?

The present (venzo) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (vencí) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise vencer in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — venzo, vences, vence, vencemos, vencéis, vencen — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the vencer examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of vencer when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

Related links