Breakdown of Der Computer funktioniert nicht.
nicht
not
funktionieren
to work (to function)
der Computer
the computer
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Questions & Answers about Der Computer funktioniert nicht.
What part of speech is der in this sentence?
der is the definite article in the masculine nominative singular; it marks Computer as a specific masculine noun and the subject of the sentence.
Why is the noun Computer capitalized?
German capitalizes all nouns. Regardless of origin, Computer is a noun so it must start with a capital letter.
Why is the verb funktioniert placed immediately after the subject?
German main clauses follow V2 word order: the conjugated verb is always in second position. Here, the subject Der Computer is first, so funktioniert comes second.
Why does funktioniert end with -t instead of -en?
funktionieren is the infinitive form. When conjugated for third‑person singular (er/sie/es), German verbs add -t, so funktioniert fits der Computer (er).
Why is nicht at the end of the sentence?
When you negate the main verb or the entire clause without a direct object or specific adverbial, nicht typically follows the verb (or verb phrase) at the end.