This is the 2726th most frequent Catalan word.
arribaven
"Arribaven" means "they arrived" or "they were arriving" (imperfect tense).
In this sentence, 'arribaven' expresses an habitual action in the past indicating when the birds would return.
Els ocells arribaven cada primavera al seu niu.
The birds arrived each spring at their nest.
Here, 'arribaven' is used to describe simultaneous past actions or events occurring at the same time as another action.
Quan mirava per la finestra, arribaven les primeres gotes de pluja.
When I looked out the window, the first drops of rain arrived.
In this case, 'arribaven' indicates the state or condition of the subjects upon arriving at the destination.