entendían

entendían is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb entender. The verb entender translates to "to understand" in English. Therefore, "entendían" means "they understood" or "they were understanding."

The imperfect tense in Spanish is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, as well as descriptions and states of being. When "entendían" is used, it suggests that a group of people possessed understanding or were in the process of understanding something over a period of time in the past. It does not imply a completed action with a definite beginning and end.

For example, in the sentence "Ellos entendían la lección," which translates to "They understood the lesson," the imperfect tense implies that their understanding was ongoing or habitual during the time the lesson was being discussed or taught. It could also mean that they consistently understood the lesson whenever it was presented. The context of the sentence would clarify the precise nuance.

The verb entender can also be used reflexively as "entenderse," meaning "to understand each other" or "to get along." In this case, "se entendían" would mean "they understood each other" or "they were understanding each other." This usage emphasizes mutual comprehension between individuals.