verb

kämpfen

fight

Sich mit jemandem streiten oder versuchen, gegen jemanden zu gewinnen.

Definition & meaning

kämpfen is a German verb meaning “to fight”, “to struggle”, or “to battle.”

It can be used in several ways:

To fight physically or militarily
- Die Soldaten kämpfen gegen den Feind. — “The soldiers are fighting the enemy.”
- Er kämpft für sein Land. — “He fights for his country.”
To struggle against a difficulty, illness, or problem
- Sie kämpft gegen eine schwere Krankheit. — “She is fighting a serious illness.”
- Wir kämpfen mit technischen Problemen. — “We are struggling with technical problems.”
To strive or campaign for something
- Sie kämpft für ihre Rechte. — “She fights for her rights.”
- Er kämpft um seinen Arbeitsplatz. — “He is fighting to keep his job.”
To compete in a contest or sports event
- Die Mannschaft kämpft um den Sieg. — “The team is competing for victory.”

Grammar & Word origin

Infinitive: kämpfen
Verb type: regular verb
Present tense: ich kämpfe, du kämpfst, er/sie/es kämpft
Simple past: kämpfte
Past participle: gekämpft
Auxiliary verb: haben
Common prepositions:
- gegen — to fight against someone or something
- für — to fight for someone or something
- um — to fight or compete for something
- mit — to struggle with something

The related noun is der Kampf , meaning “fight,” “battle,” or “struggle.” The word is related to der Kämpfer , meaning “fighter” or “combatant.” Kämpfen ultimately comes from Middle High German kemphen and is related to the idea of combat.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

streiten — “to argue” or “to fight.” It often refers to verbal conflict, whereas kämpfen more strongly suggests physical struggle, determined effort, or combat.
sich wehren — “to defend oneself” or “to resist.” This emphasizes protection against an attack or threat.
ringen — “to wrestle” or “to struggle.” It can describe physical wrestling or a difficult, persistent effort.
sich bemühen — “to make an effort” or “to strive.” This is less intense and does not usually imply conflict.
kämpfen für — “to fight for,” used when supporting a cause, right, or goal.

Antonyms

aufgeben — “to give up.” This is the clearest opposite when kämpfen means continuing to make an effort.
nachgeben — “to give in” or “to yield,” especially in a conflict.
sich ergeben — “to surrender,” mainly in a military or strongly confrontational context.
vermeiden — “to avoid,” particularly when avoiding conflict rather than engaging in it.

Common phrases & collocations

gegen jemanden kämpfen — to fight against someone
für etwas kämpfen — to fight for something
um etwas kämpfen — to compete or struggle for something
mit etwas kämpfen — to struggle with something
einen Kampf kämpfen — to fight a battle; often more idiomatically expressed as einen Kampf austragen
bis zum Ende kämpfen — to fight until the end
um sein Leben kämpfen — to fight for one’s life