Inklingo

How to Say "it runs" in Spanish

The Spanish word forit runsis funcionaA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1
VerbA1
for a computer program or engine
A bright blue electric desk fan spinning rapidly and successfully, showing that the machine is working.

Examples

Mi teléfono no funciona.

My phone doesn't work.

¿Funciona el aire acondicionado?

Does the air conditioning work?

El sistema funciona perfectamente.

The system works perfectly.

Who is 'funciona' talking about?

'Funciona' most often means 'it works' for a single thing (el teléfono funciona). But it's also the verb form for 'he works,' 'she works,' and the formal 'you work' (usted funciona). The conversation will tell you if it's a person or a thing.

Making it plural

If you're talking about more than one thing, just add an 'n' at the end: 'Las luces no funcionan' (The lights don't work).

Using 'trabajar' for machines

Mistake:Mi computadora no trabaja.

Correction: Mi computadora no funciona. Use 'trabajar' for people who have a job, and 'funcionar' for machines and devices that work.

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