funcionaba
“funcionaba” means “was working” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
was working, used to work
Also: was running, functioned
📝 In Action
Mi viejo reloj funcionaba perfectamente ayer.
A2My old watch was working perfectly yesterday.
Antes, la televisión no funcionaba sin antena.
A2Before, the television didn't use to work without an antenna.
Yo no sabía que la calefacción no funcionaba.
B1I didn't know the heating wasn't working.
was effective
Also: was doing the trick
📝 In Action
Esa estrategia funcionaba muy bien el año pasado.
B1That strategy was working very well last year.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "funcionaba" in Spanish:
functioned→operated→was effective→was running→was working→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: funcionaba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence means 'The printer used to work'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the verb 'funcionar', which comes from the Latin 'functio', meaning to perform or execute a task.
First recorded: 19th century (in its modern mechanical sense)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'funcionaba' mean 'I' or 'It'?
It can mean both! Without a name or a pronoun like 'yo' (I) or 'él' (he), you have to look at the rest of the conversation to know who is being talked about.
Can I use 'funcionaba' for a person working at a job?
No. For people working a job, use 'trabajaba'. 'Funcionaba' is only for machines, plans, or systems.