This is the 9031st most frequent Portuguese word.
avançava
"Avançava" means "was advancing" or "was moving forward."
The verb 'avançava' is in the third-person singular imperfect past tense, indicating a continuous or habitual action in the past.
Ele avançava lentamente pela estrada.
He was advancing slowly along the road.
In this sentence, 'avançava' describes an action that was progressing over a period of time, paired with the imperfect tense to show simultaneity.
Enquanto o projeto avançava, encontrávamos novos desafios.
As the project advanced, we encountered new challenges.
Here 'avançavam' (a conjugation related to 'avançava' for plural subjects) conveys the ongoing motion of the clock hands.