No. 1,668 in Spanish
podían
"Podían" means "they could" or "they were able to."
In a sentence
Cuando eran niños, podían jugar afuera sin preocupaciones.
When they were children, they could play outside without worries.
The word 'podían' is used to express a general capability or ability in the past.
Antes de la tormenta, podían ver claramente las estrellas en el cielo nocturno.
Before the storm, they could clearly see the stars in the night sky.
The word 'podían' here refers to a specific ability in the past, related to their circumstances.
Aunque estudiaron mucho, no podían entender cómo resolver el problema.
Although they studied a lot, they couldn't understand how to solve the problem.
In this sentence, 'podían' conveys inability or lacking possibility in a past context.
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