funcionó
“funcionó” means “worked” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
worked, functioned, succeeded
Also: it was successful
📝 In Action
La televisión no funcionó después de la tormenta.
A1The television didn't work after the storm.
Mi plan funcionó; conseguimos el dinero.
A2My plan worked; we got the money.
¿Funcionó la alarma que compraste?
A2Did the alarm you bought work?
served as, acted as
Also: operated
📝 In Action
El presidente funcionó como mediador en el conflicto.
B1The president served as a mediator in the conflict.
La oficina funcionó con éxito durante la ausencia del jefe.
B2The office operated successfully during the boss's absence.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "funcionó" in Spanish:
acted as→functioned→operated→served as→succeeded→worked→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: funcionó
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'funcionó' in the primary sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *functiō*, meaning 'performance' or 'execution of a duty.' The Spanish verb *funcionar* was built directly from this Latin root, maintaining the core idea of something carrying out its intended purpose.
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'funcionó' the past tense for 'él, ella, usted' and not 'yo' or 'tú'?
'Funcionó' is the simple past (preterite) form for the third-person singular (he, she, it) and the formal second-person singular (usted). If you wanted to say 'I worked' (past tense), you would use 'funcioné'.
How does 'funcionó' differ from 'funcionaba'?
'Funcionó' describes a single, completed action in the past (e.g., 'It worked once'). 'Funcionaba' describes an ongoing, repeated, or habitual action in the past (e.g., 'It used to work often').