funcionan

Funcionar is a Spanish verb meaning to operate, to work, or to function as intended. The form funcionan is the third-person plural present indicative, used with ellos, ellas, or ustedes as the subject. It is a regular -ar verb; its present tense forms include functiono, funcionas, funciona, funcionamos, funci onáis (Spain) or funcionan (Latin America). The verb also appears in other tenses and moods, such as funcionó (preterite), funcionaba (imperfect), funcione (present subjunctive), and funcionando (gerund).

Usage and scope

Funcionar is commonly applied to devices, systems, machines, and processes to indicate that they operate correctly or as designed. Examples include: Los motores funcionan bien. Las computadoras no funcionan. It can describe processes or mechanisms that are active and effective, and, in broader terms, it can convey that plans or strategies are producing the expected results, though more frequent wording for plans is están funcionando or funcionan como se esperaba.

Relation to related terms

The noun funcionamiento refers to operation or functioning, the state of how well something is working. The noun función denotes a function, role, or purpose, and both share the same root as funcionar. Other related verbs and nouns describe performance, reliability, and efficiency in technical, mechanical, or organizational contexts.

Notes on use

Funcionar emphasizes operation and performance in a practical sense, rather than abstract capability. It is widely used in everyday Spanish across dialects, with regional variations in preferred synonyms or constructions for specific contexts.