bekämpfen
Translation
to fight, to combat, to tackle, to oppose
Examples
Wir müssen die Armut bekämpfen.
We must fight poverty.
Die Feuerwehr bekämpft das Feuer.
The fire department is fighting the fire.
Er bekämpft seine Müdigkeit mit Kaffee.
He combats his tiredness with coffee.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to fight, combat (sth.) We must fight crime.
Similar Words
streiten (to argue), angreifen (to attack); Antonyms: unterstützen (to support), fördern (to promote)
Etymology
Comes from the prefix 'be-' (which directs an action onto an object) + 'kämpfen' (to fight). It means to apply fighting *to* something.
Memory Tips
Think of the 'be-' as 'bestowing' a fight upon something. You don't just fight, you 'bekämpfen' a problem, an enemy, or a fire.