This is the 5424th most frequent Spanish word.
necesitaban
"They needed."
The word 'necesitaban' indicates an action in the past that was habitual or descriptive of a state during a time period.
Cuando eran pequeños, necesitaban ayuda para vestirse.
When they were little, they needed help to get dressed.
'Necesitaban' reflects the past necessity experienced by the subjects.
Los estudiantes necesitaban más tiempo para terminar el examen.
The students needed more time to finish the exam.
The verb form 'necesitaban' conveys a past requirement that directly affects the subject's ability to complete an objective.