Possuíamos

Possuíamos is a verb form in the Portuguese language. It is the first-person plural imperfect indicative of the verb "possuir," which translates to "to possess," "to own," or "to have" in English. The imperfect indicative tense in Portuguese is used to describe ongoing actions, habitual actions, or states of being in the past. Therefore, "possuíamos" indicates that "we possessed," "we owned," or "we had" something in a continuous or repeated manner in the past.

For example, "Nós possuíamos uma casa na praia" translates to "We used to own a house on the beach" or "We had a house on the beach." This phrase suggests that the ownership was a state that existed over a period of time in the past, rather than a single, completed event. Similarly, "Quando éramos crianças, possuíamos muitos brinquedos" means "When we were children, we had many toys," implying a general condition of having toys during childhood.

The imperfect tense is crucial for distinguishing between actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past and those that were completed. "Possuíamos" specifically conveys this sense of past possession or state that was not necessarily concluded at a specific point in time. It is a common and fundamental verb conjugation used in everyday Portuguese conversation and writing to describe past circumstances and possessions.