fortalecieron

Fortalecieron is the pretérito imperfecto simple form of fortalecer for the third person plural (ellos, ellas, ustedes). It indicates that a group carried out an action that increased strength, capacity, or solidity in someone or something. The verb fortalecer is used both literally, to increase physical or institutional strength, and figuratively, to boost resilience, confidence, or cohesion.

Etymology and forms: fortalecer comes from the Latin fortis, meaning strong, combined with the development of Spanish verb formation to express “to make strong.” Fortalecer follows the regular -er verb paradigm in many tenses, but its pretérito is Fortalecieron for the third person plural. Related forms include fortalecieron, fortaleció (third person singular), fortaleciendo (gerund), and fortalecido (past participle). The infinitive is fortalecer, the noun form fortaleza (strength or fortitude), and common collocations include fortalecer vínculos, fortalecer la economía, and fortalecer la defensa.

Usage: Fortalecieron is used in narratives and reports to describe past actions with lasting effects. Examples: “Las medidas fortalecieron las defensas nacionales”; “Las políticas fortalecieron la economía.” The verb often appears with direct objects, such as a institución, sistema, o grupo, and can also describe strengthening of abstract concepts like la confianza o los lazos entre personas.

Notes: The subject is typically a plural noun or pronoun. In Spain, vosotros form would be fortalecisteis in the corresponding pretérite, while ustedes fortalecieron is common in Latin American usage. Overall, fortalecieron conveys a completed act that increased strength or resilience.