funcionar Imperfect Conjugation
funcionar — to work
The imperfect of funcionar is regular: funcionaba, funcionabas, funcionaba, funcionábamos, funcionabais, funcionaban.
funcionar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect when describing how something used to work habitually or to set the scene by explaining that a machine or system was functioning in the background of another event.
Notes on funcionar in the Imperfect
Funcionar is completely regular in the imperfect. Remember that the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms are identical (funcionaba).
Example Sentences
Antes, mi viejo ordenador funcionaba mejor.
Before, my old computer used to work better.
él/ella/usted
Cuando vivía en Madrid, el metro funcionaba las 24 horas.
When I lived in Madrid, the subway operated 24 hours a day.
él/ella/usted
Las máquinas funcionaban mientras nosotros dormíamos.
The machines were working while we were sleeping.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the nosotros form (funcionabamos).
Correct: The correct form is funcionábamos.
Why: All -ar verbs in the imperfect require an accent on the 'a' in the nosotros form to maintain the stress pattern.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: funciono
The present of funcionar is regular: funciono, funcionas, funciona, funcionamos, funcionáis, funcionan.
Preterite
yo: funcioné
The preterite of funcionar is regular: funcioné, funcionaste, funcionó, funcionamos, funcionasteis, funcionaron.
Future
yo: funcionarás
The future of funcionar is regular: funcionaré, funcionarás, funcionará, funcionaremos, funcionaréis, funcionarán.
Conditional
yo: funcionaría
The conditional of funcionar is regular: funcionaría, funcionarías, funcionaría, funcionaríamos, funcionaríais, funcionarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: funcione
The present subjunctive of funcionar is regular: funcione, funciones, funcione, funcionemos, funcionéis, funcionen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: funcionara
The imperfect subjunctive of funcionar follows the -ra pattern: funcionara, funcionaras, funcionara, funcionáramos, funcionarais, funcionaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: funciona
The affirmative imperative of funcionar gives commands: funciona (tú), funcione (usted), funcionad (vosotros), funcionen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no funciones
The negative imperative of funcionar uses the present subjunctive: no funciones, no funcione, no funcionemos, no funcionéis, no funcionen.