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Verb conjugation

combattre

to fight, to combat (against); to oppose, to struggle

Usage

Combattre means to fight or combat — literally in physical or military conflict (combattre l'ennemi) and figuratively against an abstract problem (combattre la pauvreté, combattre une maladie). Irregular, conjugated like battre.

Examples
  • Les soldats ont combattu courageusement.The soldiers fought bravely.
  • Ce vaccin permet de combattre la maladie.This vaccine helps fight the disease.
  • Il faut combattre les inégalités à la racine.Inequality needs to be fought at its root.
Common mistake

Combattre conjugates exactly like battre (je combats, il combat, nous combattons) — learners sometimes regularize it as if it were an -er verb, producing the incorrect *il combatte.

Often confused with battre.

Simple tenses

Present

jecombats
tucombats
il/ellecombat
nouscombattons
vouscombattez
ils/ellescombattent

Imperfect

jecombattais
tucombattais
il/ellecombattait
nouscombattions
vouscombattiez
ils/ellescombattaient

Past historic (passé simple)

jecombattis
tucombattis
il/ellecombattit
nouscombattîmes
vouscombattîtes
ils/ellescombattirent

Future

jecombattrai
tucombattras
il/ellecombattra
nouscombattrons
vouscombattrez
ils/ellescombattront

Conditional

jecombattrais
tucombattrais
il/ellecombattrait
nouscombattrions
vouscombattriez
ils/ellescombattraient

Subjunctive

jecombatte
tucombattes
il/ellecombatte
nouscombattions
vouscombattiez
ils/ellescombattent

Subjunctive (imperfect)

jecombattisse
tucombattisses
il/ellecombattît
nouscombattissions
vouscombattissiez
ils/ellescombattissent

Imperative

tucombats
nouscombattons
vouscombattez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

jeai combattu
tuas combattu
il/ellea combattu
nousavons combattu
vousavez combattu
ils/ellesont combattu

Plus-que-parfait

jeavais combattu
tuavais combattu
il/elleavait combattu
nousavions combattu
vousaviez combattu
ils/ellesavaient combattu

Passé antérieur

jeeus combattu
tueus combattu
il/elleeut combattu
nouseûmes combattu
vouseûtes combattu
ils/elleseurent combattu

Futur antérieur

jeaurai combattu
tuauras combattu
il/elleaura combattu
nousaurons combattu
vousaurez combattu
ils/ellesauront combattu

Conditionnel passé

jeaurais combattu
tuaurais combattu
il/elleaurait combattu
nousaurions combattu
vousauriez combattu
ils/ellesauraient combattu

Subjonctif passé

jeaie combattu
tuaies combattu
il/elleait combattu
nousayons combattu
vousayez combattu
ils/ellesaient combattu

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

jeeusse combattu
tueusses combattu
il/elleeût combattu
nouseussions combattu
vouseussiez combattu
ils/elleseussent combattu

Impératif passé

tuaie combattu
nousayons combattu
vousayez combattu

Other

Present participle

combattant

Past participle

combattu

Infinitive

combattre

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "combattre" mean?

"combattre" means "to fight, to combat (against); to oppose, to struggle".

How do you conjugate "combattre" in the present tense?

The present of "combattre" is: je combats, tu combats, il/elle combat, nous combattons, vous combattez, ils/elles combattent.

What is the Passé composé of "combattre"?

The passé composé of "combattre" is: je ai combattu, tu as combattu, il/elle a combattu, nous avons combattu, vous avez combattu, ils/elles ont combattu.

What is the Imperative of "combattre"?

The imperative of "combattre" is: tu combats, nous combattons, vous combattez.