How to Say "to operate" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to operate” is “funcionar” — use this word when talking about systems, machines, or devices working or being in a working state, similar to 'to work' or 'to run'.
funcionar
foon-syoh-NARfunθjoˈnaɾ
Examples
¿Funciona el aire acondicionado?
Does the air conditioning work?
Mi teléfono dejó de funcionar ayer.
My phone stopped working yesterday.
La nueva aplicación funciona muy rápido.
The new app operates very quickly.
Always Regular
Unlike some verbs, 'funcionar' is easy! It follows the standard pattern for '-ar' verbs in every tense, so you never need to worry about tricky stem changes.
Using 'trabajar' for things
Mistake: “El ordenador no trabaja.”
Correction: El ordenador no funciona. (Only people 'trabajan' (work); things 'funcionan' (operate).)
conducir
kon-doo-SEERkon.duˈsiɾ
Examples
¿Puedes conducir un coche estándar?
Can you drive a manual car?
Ella conduce muy rápido en la autopista.
She drives very fast on the highway.
Yo conduzco al trabajo todos los días.
I drive to work every day.
The Special 'I' Form
In the present tense, the 'yo' (I) form is irregular: it must be 'conduzco' (with 'zc') to keep the 'z' sound clear. This special stem also shows up in all the wish/command forms (subjunctive).
Preterite Change
In the simple past (preterite), the verb changes its stem completely from 'c' to 'j': 'conduje', 'condujiste', etc. This happens to other verbs ending in -ducir like 'traducir' (to translate).
Forgetting the 'zc'
Mistake: “Yo conduco.”
Correction: Yo conduzco. Remember the 'zc' is needed to maintain the correct sound and follow the verb pattern.
manipular
mah-nee-poo-larmanipuˈlaɾ
Examples
Debes manipular los alimentos con las manos limpias.
You must handle food with clean hands.
Es peligroso manipular cables eléctricos sin protección.
It is dangerous to handle electrical cables without protection.
Alguien intentó manipular la cerradura de la puerta.
Someone tried to tamper with the door lock.
It's a regular verb
Good news! This verb follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -ar. No surprise spelling changes here.
Confusing with 'Handle' in business
Mistake: “Voy a manipular esta situación de negocios.”
Correction: Voy a gestionar esta situación de negocios.
manejar
mah-neh-HAHRma.neˈxaɾ
Examples
Ella sabe manejar presupuestos muy grandes.
She knows how to manage very large budgets.
Es difícil manejar a un equipo tan diverso.
It is difficult to manage such a diverse team.
¿Puedes manejar esta máquina sin problemas?
Can you operate this machine without problems?
Using 'Manejar' for Skills
Use 'saber + manejar' to talk about having the skill to operate something (like software or equipment): 'Yo sé manejar Excel' (I know how to use/operate Excel).
accionar
ahk-syoh-NAHRaksjoˈnaɾ
Examples
Tienes que accionar el botón rojo en caso de emergencia.
You have to activate the red button in case of an emergency.
El conductor accionó el freno bruscamente.
The driver applied the brake suddenly.
La palanca sirve para accionar el mecanismo de apertura.
The lever is used to operate the opening mechanism.
Direct Action Word
This verb is used when you physically interact with a part of a machine to make it work. Think of it as 'putting into action'.
Using 'actuar' for machines
Mistake: “Él actuó el botón.”
Correction: Él accionó el botón. Use 'accionar' for mechanical parts; 'actuar' is usually for people behaving or performing.
Choosing between 'funcionar' and 'operar'
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.