Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос.

This is a question about verb aspect, which is very important in Russian.

• обсуждали = imperfective
• обсудили = perfective

In Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос, the imperfective обсуждали suggests:

• this topic was discussed before
• the fact of prior discussion matters more than the result
• it may have happened at some earlier time, possibly as part of an ongoing conversation

If you said Мы ранее обсудили этот вопрос, it would sound more like:

• we discussed it and completed that discussion
• the discussion is treated as a finished whole

So the original sentence focuses more on the prior occurrence of discussing it, not on the completed outcome.

Both ранее and раньше can mean earlier / before, but they are not identical in tone.

• ранее sounds more formal, neutral-written, or businesslike
• раньше is more common in everyday speech

So:

• Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос = a bit more formal or polished
• Мы раньше обсуждали этот вопрос = more conversational

In many contexts they mean almost the same thing, but ранее often appears in written language, meetings, reports, academic speech, and formal discussion.

Because обсуждать takes a direct object, and direct objects are usually in the accusative case.

Here, этот вопрос is the thing being discussed.

For masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative singular is the same as the nominative singular:

• nominative: этот вопрос
• accusative: этот вопрос

So the form does not visibly change, but grammatically it is accusative.

Because обсуждать normally takes the object directly, without a preposition, in the accusative case.

• обсуждать что? — вопрос
• этот вопрос = accusative singular

этого вопроса would be genitive, which is not what this verb usually requires in this sentence.

So:

• Мы обсуждали этот вопрос = correct
• Мы обсуждали этого вопроса = incorrect

обсуждали is:

• past tense
• plural
• from the infinitive обсуждать = to discuss

Russian past tense agrees with the subject in number, and in the singular also in gender.

Compare:

• я обсуждал / обсуждала
• ты обсуждал / обсуждала
• он обсуждал
• она обсуждала
• мы обсуждали
• они обсуждали

Because the subject here is мы, the verb must be обсуждали.

Yes, it often can.

Russian frequently omits subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb form or context. So you could say:

• Ранее обсуждали этот вопрос.

This can sound natural if the subject is already understood, especially in conversation or notes.

However, keeping мы is also perfectly normal. It can make the sentence clearer or slightly more explicit:

• Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос.

So both are possible, depending on context.

No, Russian word order is relatively flexible.

The neutral order here is:

• Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос.

But other orders are possible, depending on emphasis:

• Этот вопрос мы ранее обсуждали.
  Emphasizes this issue
• Мы этот вопрос ранее обсуждали.
  Slightly highlights этот вопрос
• Ранее мы обсуждали этот вопрос.
  Emphasizes earlier

The original sentence sounds neutral and natural, especially in formal or careful speech.

Often yes, but not always.

In this sentence, ранее modifies the whole action of discussing, so placing it before the verb is very natural:

• Мы ранее обсуждали этот вопрос.

You can also say:

• Ранее мы обсуждали этот вопрос.
• Мы обсуждали этот вопрос ранее.

All of these are grammatical, but they differ slightly in rhythm and emphasis.

The original placement is very standard and smooth.

It is mostly neutral to somewhat formal.

The main reason is ранее, which sounds more formal than раньше.

So the sentence would fit well in contexts like:

• meetings
• written communication
• professional discussion
• academic or official speech

In everyday conversation, many people would more naturally say:

• Мы раньше обсуждали этот вопрос.
• Мы уже обсуждали этот вопрос.

Those versions sound more colloquial.

A very common everyday version would be:

• Мы уже обсуждали этот вопрос.

This often means something like we’ve already discussed this issue.

Other natural conversational options:

• Мы раньше обсуждали этот вопрос.
• Мы это уже обсуждали.

The original sentence is completely correct, but ранее makes it sound a little more formal than the most typical casual spoken version.

The main stresses are:

• мы
• ра́нее
• обсужда́ли
• э́тот
• вопро́с

So the sentence is pronounced approximately as:

• Мы ра́нее обсужда́ли э́тот вопро́с.

A learner should especially notice:

• ра́нее — stress on the first syllable
• обсужда́ли — stress on -да-
• вопро́с — stress on the last syllable

Correct stress is important in Russian because it is not always predictable.