This is the 298th most frequent Dutch word.
kwamen
"Kwamen" is the past tense of "komen," meaning "came" in English.
In this sentence, 'kwamen' is used as the simple past tense of the verb 'komen' ('to come') in plural form, indicating a past event.
Ze kwamen gisteren op onze verjaardagsfeest.
They came to our birthday party yesterday.
'Kwamen' in this context means 'encountered' or 'ended up in', indicating becoming part of a situation, used as the past tense of 'komen' for plural subjects.
We kwamen in een moeilijk situatie tijdens de reis.
We encountered a difficult situation during the trip.
Here, 'kwamen' expresses an abstract occurrence (memories returning), used in its simple past tense and plural form to describe the return of memories.