possuíram

Possuíram is a verb form in Portuguese, derived from the verb posssuir, meaning to possess or own. It corresponds to the third-person plural of the pretérito perfeito do indicativo, used to describe a completed possession in the past. In standard usage, possuíram translates to “they possessed” or “they owned.”

Etymology and form: possuír comes from Latin possidēre, related to the concept of possessing or holding. The form possuíram reflects regular conjugation patterns for -ir verbs in the pretérito perfeito do indicativo, with the third-person plural ending appropriate for this tense and mood. The spelling includes an accented i, indicating the stressed syllable in this past-tense form.

Grammatical notes: Possuíram is a transitive verb that requires a direct object to indicate what is possessed (for example, bens, propriedades, direitos). It is used in narratives or formal contexts to recount past events of ownership. The tense contrasts with possuía (imperfect) for ongoing or habitual past possession or with possuíram in other tenses such as the passado simples of different persons.

Usage examples:

- Eles possuíram uma casa na praia por muitos anos.

- As empresas possuíram ativos valiosos antes de vender parte de seus negócios.

Related forms include present possuo, possuis, possui, nós possuímos, vós possuís, eles possuem, and past imperfect possuía, possuíamos. Posso também be contrasted with possess, a related notion in English, but used in Portuguese to describe ownership or control historically.