Requerían

Requerían is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb requerir, in the third person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes). It expresses a past or ongoing necessity, demand, or requirement, often over a period or in a habitual sense, rather than a single completed action. The meaning depends on context: it can indicate that something was needed to achieve a goal, or that a condition was in place that required certain resources or actions.

Etymology and usage notes: requerir comes from Latin requirere, itself from quaerere (to seek). In modern Spanish, it is used in formal, technical, legal, and administrative registers, as well as in journalism. It frequently appears with direct objects (requerían un permiso, requerían más tiempo) or with phrases such as "requerían de" in some regional usages to denote the need for something from a person or entity (though many speakers simply say "requerían más tiempo" without de).

Examples:

- Las pruebas requerían más tiempo para completarse.

- El proyecto requería la participación de varios departamentos.

These illustrate a past, ongoing demand or necessity that affected the subject.

Comparison with related verbs: necesitar is a general synonym for "to need," but requerir often carries a sense of formal or official prerequisites. Exigir conveys a stronger demand or obligation. Requerir, especially in its imperfect form, underscores objective requirements rather than subjective desire.

Forms and variation: requerían is one of the imperfect forms; other related forms include requería, requerías, requería, requeríamos, requeríais, and requerirán in the future. The verb is regular in its conjugation.