The French verb "battre" means "to beat" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "battre" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "battre" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | bats |
| tu | you (informal) | bats |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | bat |
| nous | we | battons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | battez |
| ils/elles | they | battent |
Il se bat pour lui.
He is fighting for him.
How to Conjugate "battre" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai battu |
| tu | you (informal) | as battu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a battu |
| nous | we | avons battu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez battu |
| ils/elles | they | ont battu |
Il a battu son adversaire.
He beat his opponent.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | battais |
| tu | you (informal) | battais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | battait |
| nous | we | battions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | battiez |
| ils/elles | they | battaient |
Il battait les œufs en neige.
He was beating the egg whites.
How to Conjugate "battre" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | battrai |
| tu | you (informal) | battras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | battra |
| nous | we | battrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | battrez |
| ils/elles | they | battront |
Il battra son adversaire fort.
He will beat his opponent hard.
How to Conjugate "battre" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | battrais |
| tu | you (informal) | battrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | battrait |
| nous | we | battrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | battriez |
| ils/elles | they | battraient |
Il se battrait pour gagner.
He would fight to win.
Frequently Asked Questions About "battre"
Is "battre" regular or irregular in French?
"Battre" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "battre" mean in English?
The French verb "battre" means "to beat" in English.
How do you conjugate "battre" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → bats, tu → bats, il/elle/on → bat, nous → battons, vous → battez, ils/elles → battent.
How many tenses does "battre" have in French?
"Battre" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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