reunían

Reunían is the third-person plural form of the verb reunir in the imperfect indicative in Spanish. It expresses a past action that was habitual or ongoing, roughly translating as “they used to gather” or “they were gathering.” This form can take a direct object referring to people or things that were brought together, as in “reunían a los invitados” (they gathered the guests) or “reunían documentos” (they collected documents). When the reflexive form is used, as in “se reunían,” the sense shifts to “they met” or “they got together (with each other).”

Etymology and related forms: reunir derives from the Latin reunire, from re- (again) + unire (to unite). Related words include reunión (meeting), reunificación (reunification), and reunirse (to meet or gather, oneself). The imperfect form “reunían” contrasts with the preterite “reunieron,” which marks a completed gathering, and with the present “reúnen” (they gather).

Usage notes: Reunían commonly appears in narrative or descriptive past contexts to describe repeated gatherings or ongoing processes. Distinctions with se reunían versus reunían hinge on whether the action is transitive (reunían a alguien) or reflexive (se reunían = they met or got together themselves). In modern usage, both forms are widely understood, with the choice guided by whether the emphasis is on assembling others or on the act of gathering among the participants.