This is the 9690th most frequent Polish word.
zajmowała
"Zajmowała" means "she/it occupied" or "she/it was engaged in."
In this sentence, 'zajmowała' is used as a reflexive verb 'zajmować się' which means 'to be engaged in' or 'to take care of'. It indicates an ongoing action in the past.
Maria zajmowała się malarstwem przez kilka lat.
Maria was involved in painting for several years.
Here, 'zajmowała' is derived from the verb 'zajmować', meaning 'to occupy' or 'to take up' space. It describes an action or state in the past.
Biblioteka zajmowała całe pierwsze piętro budynku.
The library occupied the entire first floor of the building.
In this case, 'zajmowała' again comes from 'zajmować', meaning 'to take (a space or place)', used in a context where someone physically takes up a position.