How to Say "was working" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “was working” is “funcionaba” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Mi viejo reloj funcionaba perfectamente ayer.
My old watch was working perfectly yesterday.
Antes, la televisión no funcionaba sin antena.
Before, the television didn't use to work without an antenna.
Yo no sabía que la calefacción no funcionaba.
I didn't know the heating wasn't working.
The 'Was Doing' Past Form
Funcionaba is the 'imperfect' form of the verb. Use it to describe things that were already happening in the background or things that used to be true over a long period.
One Word, Two People
This specific form 'funcionaba' is used for both 'I' (yo) and 'he/she/it/you formal' (él/ella/usted). Context usually tells you who is being talked about.
Confusing Two Past Tenses
Mistake: “Using 'funcionó' when you mean 'funcionaba'.”
Correction: Use 'funcionó' if something worked once and then stopped. Use 'funcionaba' to describe the state of something (e.g., 'the computer was working when I left').
Related Translations
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