obtenrían

Obtenían is a conjugated form of the Spanish verb obtener. Specifically, it corresponds to the imperfect indicative tense for the third person plural (ellos/ellas/Uds.), used to describe ongoing or habitual past actions: they were obtaining, they used to obtain.

In practical usage, obtenían appears in narratives or explanations that refer to past conditions or repeated past events. For example: Las empresas obtenían beneficios cada trimestre. This conveys a sense of continuity over time in the past. The form is not used to express hypothetical or conditional meaning; that function is carried by other forms such as obtendrían (they would obtain).

It is important to distinguish obtenían from other morphologically similar forms of the same verb. The conditional third person plural is obtendrían, which uses a different stem (obtendr-) and means “they would obtain.” The imperfect subjunctive forms of obtener are typically obtuvieran or obtuviesen, not obtenían. Spelling mistakes can occur when learners confuse the imperfect indicative with these other tenses.

Etymologically, obtener derives from the Latin obtinēre, formed with the prefix ob- and the root tenēre, meaning to hold or to possess, and has developed in modern Spanish to cover meanings such as acquiring, achieving, or gaining something.

Common uses include obtaining documents, results, permissions, or advantages. In synonymy, obtener is often paired with lograr, conseguir, or alcanzar, depending on nuance and emphasis on effort, result, or access.

See also: obtener, conseguir, lograr, alcanzar.