teníamos

"Teníamos" is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb "tener," which means "to have." It is used to describe habitual actions, ongoing states, or conditions in the past. For example, "Teníamos una casa grande" translates to "We had a big house," indicating a past possession that was likely ongoing.

The imperfect tense, in which "teníamos" is conjugated, contrasts with the preterite tense, which describes completed actions in the past. While "tuvimos" would be the preterite form ("we had" a specific, completed event), "teníamos" implies a state or habit that existed over a period of time. This distinction is crucial for conveying nuance in Spanish past narration.

"Teníamos" can also be used to express what was happening at a particular moment in the past, especially when setting a scene or providing background information. For instance, "Teníamos mucho frío cuando salimos" means "We were very cold when we left," describing a state of being at a specific past time. The conjugation remains consistent across different uses of the imperfect indicative.