Gagner or économiser: earning money and saving it

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Separate money you earn from money you save, then practise gagner du temps. Compare income, spending less and putting money aside with clear examples.

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In short

Gagner de l’argent means earning money; économiser de l’argent means saving money. Gagner also means winning, as in gagner un match. For saving time, gagner du temps is very common, and économiser du temps is also possible.

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A guitar teacher giving a lesson beside a simple bicycle leaning against the wall, a small coin jar without markings.
A bicycle goal connects gagner and économiser. Illustration: Atelier

gagnerto earn; to win; to gain

Focus: what you obtain

gagner + money / match / time

Je gagne de l’argent en donnant des cours.
I earn money by giving lessons.

Notre équipe a gagné le match.
Our team won the match.

économiserto save

Focus: what you avoid spending or using

économiser + money / resource

J’économise vingt euros en réparant mon sac.
I save twenty euros by repairing my bag.

Nous économisons de l’eau.
We save water.

Four objects in a weekend plan

Un vélo pour l’été
  1. Maya

    Je voudrais acheter un vélo cet été.

    I’d like to buy a bicycle this summer.

  2. Louis

    Tu économises déjà ?

    Are you saving already?

  3. Maya

    Oui. Je gagne de l’argent en donnant des cours de guitare.

    Yes. I earn money by giving guitar lessons.

  4. Louis

    Et tu mets tout de côté ?

    And do you put it all aside?

  5. Maya

    Non, j’en garde une partie pour mes dépenses. J’économise le reste pour le vélo.

    No, I keep some for my expenses. I save the rest for the bicycle.

How do you say “save time” in French?

Préparer les documents à l’avance nous fait gagner du temps.

Preparing the documents in advance saves us time.

Here, gagner du temps means getting through the task faster. Économiser du temps emphasises using less time. In another scene, Il pose des questions pour gagner du temps can mean he is stalling. The reason for the delay gives you that meaning.

Question 1No account needed
You receive money for your work. Complete the sentence.Je ___ de l’argent en travaillant.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

gagne. Gagner de l’argent en travaillant describes earnings from work.

Question 2No account needed
Which phrase clearly means “put money aside”?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

mettre de l’argent de côté. Mettre de l’argent de côté explicitly describes setting money aside.

Question 3No account needed
Choose the usual expression for making a task quicker.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

gagner du temps. Gagner du temps is a common expression for saving time when doing a task.

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