funcionaría

Funcionar is a Spanish verb meaning to operate or to work. The form funcionaría is the simple conditional tense, used to express what would happen under certain conditions. In the conditional, the infinitive funcion- is followed by the endings -aría, -arías, -aría, -aríamos, -aríais, -arían; thus funcionar in the conditional has forms like funcionaría (yo or él/ella/usted), funcionaríamos, etc. Because the same ending can correspond to different subjects, the subject is usually marked by the surrounding sentence rather than by the verb form alone.

Usage and meanings

Funcionar = to operate or work. Funcionar sería used to describe a hypothetical performance or outcome. It is common in discussions about devices, systems, plans, or processes: “Este sistema funcionaría mejor con una batería más potente.” It also appears in si clauses describing hypothetical conditions, typically with the imperfect subjunctive in the condition clause and with the conditional in the main clause: “Si funcionara esa máquina, podríamos empezar ahora; funcionaría si tuviera energía suficiente.”

Relationship to other expressions

funcionaría is often contrasted with posibles or podría: funcionar would convey a conditional outcome rather than merely a possibility. For example, “Podría funcionar” expresses possibility, while “funcionaría” emphasizes a conditional result given a specific condition.

Etymology

The verb derives from función (function) and the broader Latin root functio, related to performing or executing. The sense of operating or working is preserved in Spanish through the verb funcionar and its related forms, including funcionaría.