ottennero

Ottennero is the third-person plural form of the Italian verb ottenere in the passato remoto, or simple past. It translates as "they obtained" or "they acquired" and is primarily found in literary, historical, or formal writing. In everyday speech, Italians typically use the passato prossimo form hanno ottenuto.

Etymology and meaning: ottenere comes from Latin obtinēre, formed from ob- (toward) and tenēre (to hold). The meaning evolved to include obtaining or achieving something, which is reflected in its various tenses and uses in Italian.

Conjugation in passato remoto: io ottenni; tu ottenesti; lui/lei ottenne; noi ottenemmo; voi otteneste; essi ottennero. The form ottennero is the correct third-person plural for the past remote.

Usage notes: The passato remoto is commonly found in narrative prose, historical accounts, and formal writing. In modern spoken Italian, the passato prossimo è hanno ottenuto is far more common to express the same idea. Ottennero can appear in historical chronicles, classical literature, or stylistically elevated passages.

Examples: "I cittadini ottennero il permesso dopo settimane di negoziati." "Le aziende ottennero diverse concessioni dal governo." These sentences illustrate how the verb conveys completion of an action in the past within a formal or literary register.

See also: ottenere (to obtain); ottenere coniugazione (conjugation). For learners, comparing passato remoto forms with the more frequent passato prossimo helps understanding of tense usage and register differences in Italian.