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FRENCH VERB

fonctionner

to work (a device)

  • #462 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: fonctionné
  • Present participle: fonctionnant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I work
  2. tu you work
  3. il, elle, on he/she works
  4. nous we work
  5. vous you work
  6. ils, elles they work

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I worked
  2. tu you worked
  3. il, elle, on he/she worked
  4. nous we worked
  5. vous you worked
  6. ils, elles they worked

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to work
  2. tu you used to work
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to work
  4. nous we used to work
  5. vous you used to work
  6. ils, elles they used to work

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will work
  2. tu you will work
  3. il, elle, on he/she will work
  4. nous we will work
  5. vous you will work
  6. ils, elles they will work

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would work
  2. tu you would work
  3. il, elle, on he/she would work
  4. nous we would work
  5. vous you would work
  6. ils, elles they would work

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I work
  2. tu (that) you work
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she work
  4. nous (that) we work
  5. vous (that) you work
  6. ils, elles (that) they work

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu work!
  2. nous work! (let’s)
  3. vous work! (plural, or formal)

How to use fonctionner

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    L'ascenseur ne fonctionne pas, prenez l'escalier.

    The lift isn't working, take the stairs.

  2. Past

    La machine à café a fonctionné toute la nuit.

    The coffee machine ran all night.

  3. Imperfect

    Le chauffage fonctionnait mal dans l'ancien appartement.

    The heating didn't work well in the old flat.

  4. Future

    Ton téléphone fonctionnera à l'étranger sans problème.

    Your phone will work abroad without any problem.

  5. Conditional

    Ça fonctionnerait mieux avec des piles neuves.

    It would work better with new batteries.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Je doute que la vieille imprimante fonctionne encore.

    I doubt the old printer still works.

  7. Imperative

    Allez, fonctionne, sale machine, j'ai besoin de toi !

    Come on, work, you stupid machine, I need you!

Good to know

  • Fonctionner is for machines; a person who works is travailler.
  • Ça marche is the everyday way to say it works.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.