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ils battaient

were beating, used to beat, were fighting, used to fight

→ battre
batt beat, defeat + aient 3rd person plural imperfect
verb · 3rd-person plural, imperfect tense Rare #43,175
were beating, used to beat In these examples, it is the imperfect form of battre; with se, it means “were fighting” or “used to fight.”
FR: Les enfants battaient le tambour.
EN: The children were beating the drum.
were fighting, used to fight Used with se.
FR: Les deux garçons se battaient souvent.
EN: The two boys used to fight often.
Conjugation of battre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First battais —
Second battais —
Third battait battaient

Les gamins se battaient donc les parents ont dû intervenir.

The kids were fighting so the parents had to intervene.

Les gladiateurs se battaient à mort dans le Colisée.

Gladiators fought to the death in the Colosseum.

Mes cousins me battaient là-bas.

My cousins used to beat me up there.

— Roma (2018)

Ils se battaient de tout leur cœur, ils ont une famille, des enfants.

They fought with all their hearts, they have a family, children.

— Apocalypse Now (1979)

Des déclarations de quatre villageois disent que les pères battaient les filles.

Statements from four villagers say that the fathers beat the girls.

— Article 15 (2019)

Ils se battaient autour.

They were fighting nearby.

— La petite Véra (1988)