mantínhamos

Mantínhamos is the first-person plural form of the Portuguese verb manter in the imperfect indicative tense. It is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing, habitual, or not tied to a specific moment. As with other imperfect forms, mantínhamos situates events in a continuing or background context in narrative or description.

Formation and usage: Manter belongs to the -er verb group. In the imperfect, the form for nós is mantínhamos, created from the stem mant- plus the ending -ínhamos. The imperfect expresses continuity or repetition in the past, such as routines, ongoing conditions, or prolonged circumstances.

Examples: "Quando éramos jovens, mantínhamos contato com os velhos amigos." "Durante a crise, mantínhamos a esperança de dias melhores." These sentences illustrate how mantínhamos conveys actions that were regularly performed or state-like in the past.

Etymology and notes: manter derives from Latin manēre, meaning to remain or to keep. Mantínhamos is a standard verb form used across Portuguese varieties, including European and Brazilian Portuguese. It is not a noun or adjective, but a conjugated verb form that agrees with the subject nós.

Related forms: The imperfect of manter has other person forms such as eu mantinha, tu mantinhas, ele mantinha, vós mantínheis, eles mantinham. These forms show the same imperfect aspect and are used to describe past, non-finalized actions or states for different subjects.