This is the 1951st most frequent Catalan word.
portava
"Portava" means "was carrying," "was wearing," or "used to carry/wear" in English.
In this sentence, 'portava' refers to the act of wearing clothing, specifically using the imperfect tense to suggest a past ongoing action.
Quan el vaig veure, portava un abric vermell.
When I saw him, he was wearing a red coat.
Here, 'portava' is used to indicate the act of carrying an item, again employing the imperfect tense for a past continuous action.
Portava el paquet a la seva amiga.
He was carrying the package to his friend.
In this occurrence, 'portava' signifies the habitual act of keeping or having something with oneself, illustrated in past habitual actions using the imperfect tense.