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il battait

was beating, used to beat, was defeating, was in full swing, was beating against

→ battre
batt beat, defeat + ait il/elle imperfect conjugation
verb · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Uncommon #14,323
was beating, used to beat Can refer to hitting someone repeatedly.
FR: Il battait son adversaire.
EN: He was beating his opponent.
was beating, was defeating Used when one person or team was winning against another.
FR: Notre équipe battait les champions.
EN: Our team was beating the champions.
was in full swing In the expression « battre son plein », meaning that an event was at its busiest or most lively point.
FR: La soirée battait son plein.
EN: The party was in full swing.
was beating against Used of rain or wind striking a surface.
FR: La pluie battait contre les vitres.
EN: The rain was beating against the windows.
Conjugation of battre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First battais —
Second battais —
Third battait battaient

Un groupe de jeunes hommes se battait.

A group of young men were fighting.

Mon père avait une épaisse ceinture en cuir avec laquelle il nous battait.

My father had a thick leather belt with which he beat us.

Le voisin battait sa femme.

The neighbor was beating his wife.

Et il se battait comme un chien enragé pour essayer de le toucher.

And he was fighting like a rabid dog, trying to land a hit on him.

— Ip Man (2008)

La soirée battait son plein au moment où il est parti.

The party was in full swing by the time he left.

L'oiseau battait des ailes.

The bird was flapping its wings.

Mon cœur battait à mille à l'heure.

My heart was pounding a mile a minute.

— 28 Ans plus tard : Le Temple des morts (2026)

La pluie battait sur la fenêtre.

The rain was beating on the window.

Le salaud me battait souvent.

The bastard often beat me.

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Tout le monde se battait.

Everyone was fighting.

Il se battait seul contre cet ennemi redoutable.

He fought alone against this formidable enemy.

— Le Hobbit : Un voyage inattendu (2012)

Tom se battait.

Tom was fighting.

Bizarre, parce qu'il te l'a piqué quand on se battait.

Weird, because he stole it from you while we were fighting.

— The Rip (2026)

Son cœur battait à toute vitesse.

Her heart was beating fast.

Le conducteur se battait aux côtés de Mr. Fogg, quand une balle le renversa.

The driver was fighting alongside Mr. Fogg when a bullet brought him down.

Il était génial, et se battait bien.

He was great and fought well.

— Sous la chaleur du soleil (1994)

Le pavillon d'Angleterre battait à la corne de la goélette.

The English flag was flying at the schooner's masthead.

Son cœur battait lentement.

His heart was beating slowly.

Alors pourquoi son cœur battait-il comme une cloche affolée ?

Then why was her heart pounding like a frantic bell?

Ziri se battait contre un cancer des poumons.

Ziri was battling lung cancer.

Mon cœur battait à tout rompre.

My heart was pounding.

Il se battait partout.

He fought everywhere.

— Un Soleil (2019)

Ziri se battait.

Ziri was fighting.

Elle vous battait ?

Did she beat you?

— Piège de cristal (1988)

Le cœur de Tom, prêt à capituler sous les avances de Marie, battait la chamade.

Tom's heart, ready to succumb to Marie's advances, was pounding wildly.

Mon cœur battait la chamade.

My heart was pounding.

— Titanic (1997)

Ce type est un ivrogne, il la battait !

This guy is a drunk, he was beating her!

— Central do Brasil (1998)

Il me battait.

He used to beat me.

— La petite Véra (1988)

Son cœur battait la chamade.

His heart was pounding.

Mon cœur battait.

My heart was pounding.

Sami battait Layla.

Sami was beating Layla.

La fête battait son plein.

The party was in full swing.

— Moulin Rouge ! (2001)

Mon père me battait chaque fois qu'il était soûl.

My father beat me every time he was drunk.