How to Say "to malfunction" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to malfunction” is “fallar” — use 'fallar' when a machine or system stops working correctly, often suddenly, without necessarily implying damage.
fallar
fah-YARfaˈʝaɾ
Examples
La impresora falló y no imprimió el documento.
The printer malfunctioned and didn't print the document.
La computadora falló justo antes de guardar el archivo.
The computer malfunctioned right before saving the file.
El motor de la nave empezó a fallar a mitad del viaje.
The ship's engine started to fail halfway through the trip.
averiar
ah-beh-ryahraβeˈɾjaɾ
Examples
El cortocircuito averió la televisión.
The short circuit damaged the television.
El exceso de calor puede averiar el motor del coche.
Excess heat can damage the car engine.
Se averió la calefacción durante la noche más fría del año.
The heating broke down during the coldest night of the year.
Ten cuidado de no averiar el sistema eléctrico al instalar la lámpara.
Be careful not to damage the electrical system while installing the lamp.
The 'Se' Transformation
To say a machine 'broke down' on its own, add 'se' (averiarse). For example: 'Mi coche se averió' (My car broke down).
Averiar vs. Romper
Use 'averiar' for technical or mechanical failures (like a computer or engine). Use 'romper' for physical breaking (like a glass or a bone).
Misplacing the Accent
Mistake: “Using 'averío' (with an accent).”
Correction: Say 'averio' (no accent). Unlike the word 'enviar' (to send), 'averiar' follows the pattern of 'anunciar' and keeps the 'i' sound soft without an accent.
Averiar vs. Fallar
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