This is the 14512th most frequent German word.
kümmerte
"Kümmerte" means "cared" or "took care" (past tense of "kümmern").
In this sentence, 'kümmerte' is used as a reflexive verb 'sich kümmern um,' meaning 'to take care of.' It represents the action of tending to someone's needs in the past tense.
Er kümmerte sich um sein krankes Haustier.
He took care of his sick pet.
Here, 'kümmerte' conveys neglect or disinterest, again appearing in the reflexive form 'sich kümmern um,' but with a negation to express the lack of concern.
Sie kümmerte sich nicht um die Gerüchte.
She did not care about the rumors.
'Kümmerte' in this example illustrates responsibility or effort directed towards ensuring a particular outcome, showing proactive care in the past tense.