Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| combate | /komˈbate/ | masculine |
| batalla | /baˈtaʝa/ | feminine |
| acción | /aɡˈθjon/ /aɡˈsjon/ |
feminine |
The terms used to express combat in Spanish vary depending on the scale and context of the fight. You can use the noun combate for a fight or encounter, or the related verb combatir to mean to fight or struggle for victory.
Which one should you use?
While combate and batalla both translate to combat or battle, batalla often refers to a larger-scale military engagement. In contrast, combate can refer to a single fight or a specific encounter. Additionally, acción is used in a military context to refer to a specific engagement or skirmish, similar to the English term 'action' or 'engagement'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun combate is masculine and is used with masculine articles like el (el combate). The noun batalla is feminine and uses feminine articles like la (la batalla).
How do you pronounce it?
/komˈbate/
Did you know?
- Had batalla evolved naturally from its Latin root battuālia without foreign influence, it would have likely become bataja in Spanish.
- The word combate is used not only for physical fighting but can also be used metaphorically for intellectual or social struggles, such as 'el combate contra la pobreza'.
- In some historical Spanish texts, the term lid implies not just a fight but a formal trial by combat or a contest of honor.
Examples in context
- Tom murió en combate.Tom died in combat.This sentence is useful for describing someone who died during combat using combate.Tatoeba #1386633 by marcelostockle, translation #1026251 by CK
- La mayoría de estos que son empujados al combate pronto encontrarán imposible mantener la percepción mítica de la guerra.Most of these who are thrust into combat soon find it impossible to maintain the mythic perception of war.This sentence is useful for discussing the perception of war within the context of combate.Tatoeba #2655991 by DavidVm, translation #2347682 by tijlan
- Los soldados lucharon contra el enemigoThe soldiers fought against the enemy
- El gobierno combate el crimenThe government combats crime
- La policía enfrenta a los delincuentesThe police combat the criminals
- Vimos una gran pelea en la calleWe saw a big fight on the street
- No te dejes vencer, ¡dale duro!Don't let yourself be defeated, fight hard!
- El ejército lleva años luchando contra el terrorismoThe army has been fighting against terrorism for years
- ¡No te metas en peleas callejeras, son peligrosas!Don't get involved in street fights, they are dangerous!
- Hoy presencié una gran batalla de rap entre dos artistas localesToday, I witnessed a huge rap battle between two local artists
- El combate fue muy intenso.The combat was very intense.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical movie.
- SofíaMe gustó mucho la escena del combate.I really liked the combat scene.
- MateoSí, fue la mejor parte de la película.Yes, it was the best part of the movie.
- Sofía¿Crees que el combate terminó rápido?Do you think the combat ended quickly?
- MateoNo, creo que duró bastante.No, I think it lasted quite a while.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “combat” translations and entries combate, batalla, acción, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries acción, batalla, combate, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
