This is the 13548th most frequent German word.
dachten
"Thought" (past tense of "denken").
The word 'dachten' is the first-person plural preterite form of 'denken' (to think), used here to express an action of thinking that took place in the past.
Wir dachten, dass das Wetter heute besser wird.
We thought that the weather would improve today.
'Dachten' in this sentence, as part of 'nachdachten,' indicates a process of deeper thought or consideration that occurred in the past, showcasing its use with the separable verb 'nachdenken'.
Sie dachten nach, bevor sie die Entscheidung trafen.
They reflected before making the decision.
The verb 'dachten' in its second-person plural preterite form conveys the idea of making an incorrect assumption or judgement in the past.