võitleme

Võitleme is an Estonian verb and the first-person plural present tense form of võitlema, meaning “we fight.” It is used to describe ongoing action by a group, literal combat, or figurative struggle.

Morphology and forms: The infinitive is võitlema. The present tense forms include võitleme (we fight), võitlete (you all fight), and võitlevad (they fight). The 1st person singular is võitlen (I fight). The verb belongs to the class of -lda/-le/-lda verbs with the stem võitle-, and its usage spans physical confrontation, sport, and various kinds of struggle or resistance.

Usage: Võitleme commonly appears in everyday speech and written Estonian to state collective action. It is used in contexts such as physical fighting, team sports, or collective efforts to overcome obstacles, illness, or injustice. It can also convey motivation or determination in rhetoric, for example in slogans or discussions about social or political causes.

Etymology and related forms: Võitlema is related to the noun võit, meaning “victory,” and to võitluse, the noun for “struggle.” Related forms include võitleja (fighter), võitluse (struggle), and võitlusse (into the struggle). The word reflects the semantic link between fighting and striving toward a goal.

See also: võit, võitluse, võitleja, võitlus.