This is the 15810th most frequent Russian word.
продолжались
"Продолжались" means "continued" in English.
In this sentence, 'продолжались' is used to describe an ongoing action (negotiations) over a period of time.
У них продолжались переговоры на протяжении всей недели.
They continued their negotiations throughout the week.
Here, 'продолжался' is utilized to indicate an ongoing weather condition (rain) during a specified time.
Дождь продолжался весь вечер, угрожая затопить улицы.
The rain continued all evening, threatening to flood the streets.
This instance illustrates 'продолжались' as referring to the ongoing action of applause that recommenced after a brief interruption.