démontraient

Démontraient is the imperfect indicative plural form of the French verb "démontrer". In English, "démontrer" translates to "to demonstrate", "to prove", or "to show". Therefore, "démontraient" signifies an action of demonstrating, proving, or showing that was ongoing or habitual in the past. It is used to describe something that past subjects were in the process of showing or proving, or something that they regularly did.

For example, in a sentence like "Les scientifiques démontraient leur hypothèse par de nombreuses expériences," the verb "démontraient" indicates that the scientists were in the process of proving their hypothesis through numerous experiments. The imperfect tense suggests a continuous or repeated action in the past, rather than a single completed event. It conveys a sense of description or background information about past events. Understanding the nuances of the French imperfect tense is crucial for correctly interpreting the meaning of "démontraient" in context.