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Learn Hardcore Hebrew: המכונה פועלת טוב. - The machine functions well.

Hardcore Hebrew
/Resolving an unexpectedly high electricity bill
/המכונה פועלת טוב.

המכונה פועלת טוב.

Word

המכונה פועלת טוב.

Meaning

The machine functions well.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Hebrew

Lesson

Resolving an unexpectedly high electricity bill

Breakdown of המכונה פועלת טוב.

לפעולlif'ol

to function; operate

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Questions & Answers about המכונה פועלת טוב.

How do you pronounce המכונה פועלת טוב?

A common pronunciation is:

ha-mekhona po-élet tov

A more detailed breakdown:

המכונה = ha-mekho-NA
פועלת = po-E-let
טוב = tov

A rough full pronunciation: ha-mekhona po-E-let tov

Notes:

ch in mekhona is like the Hebrew letter כ/ח, a throaty sound that does not really exist in standard English.
Stress usually falls near the end:
- mekhoNA
- poElet

What does ה at the beginning of המכונה mean?

The ה is the Hebrew definite article, meaning the.

So:

מכונה = machine
המכונה = the machine

Unlike English, Hebrew attaches the directly to the noun as a prefix.

Why is מכונה treated as feminine?

Because מכונה is a grammatically feminine noun in Hebrew.

That matters because Hebrew verbs in the present tense agree with the subject in gender and number. Since המכונה is feminine singular, the verb is also feminine singular:

פועל = masculine singular
פועלת = feminine singular

So המכונה פועלת is grammatically matched.

What exactly is פועלת here?

פועלת is the feminine singular present-tense form of the verb לפעול, which means to operate, to function, or to act.

So:

אני פועל / פועלת = I operate / act / function
הוא פועל = he operates
היא פועלת = she operates
המכונה פועלת = the machine operates / is operating / functions

In modern Hebrew, the present tense is built from forms that historically behave a bit like participles, but for learners it is usually simplest to think of פועלת here as a normal present-tense verb form.

Why is it פועלת and not some separate word for is operating?

Because Hebrew does not build the present tense the way English often does.

In English, you may say:

The machine operates
The machine is operating

In Hebrew, a single present-tense form like פועלת can cover both ideas, depending on context.

So המכונה פועלת can mean:

The machine operates
The machine is operating
The machine works

Why is the last word טוב and not טובה?

Because here טוב is functioning like an adverb, meaning well, not like an adjective meaning good.

Compare:

מכונה טובה = a good machine / the machine is good
Here טובה must agree with the feminine noun מכונה.

But in your sentence:

המכונה פועלת טוב = the machine works well

Here טוב describes how it operates, so it does not agree with מכונה.

Important note: In formal or more standard Hebrew, many teachers prefer:

המכונה פועלת היטב

because היטב is the more traditionally standard word for well.

However, in everyday spoken Hebrew, טוב is very commonly used in this adverb-like way.

Is המכונה פועלת טוב natural Hebrew?

Yes, it is understandable and fairly natural, especially in everyday speech.

But there are a couple of things to know:

Colloquial everyday Hebrew often allows:
- פועלת טוב = works well
More formal / standard Hebrew often prefers:
- פועלת היטב
Many speakers might also say:
- המכונה עובדת טוב
- literally the machine works well

That version with עובדת is often very common in conversation.

So all of these are possible, but they differ a little in style:

המכונה פועלת טוב = natural, understandable, somewhat neutral/colloquial
המכונה פועלת היטב = more standard/formal
המכונה עובדת טוב = very common in speech

What is the difference between פועלת and עובדת in this kind of sentence?

Both can describe a machine functioning, but the feeling is a little different.

פועלת comes from לפעול = to operate / function
עובדת comes from לעבוד = to work

For a machine, both can be translated as works.

Very roughly:

המכונה פועלת sounds a bit like the machine is operating / functioning
המכונה עובדת sounds a bit like the machine is working

In many everyday contexts, the difference is small, and native speakers may use either one.

Can the word order change?

Yes, but המכונה פועלת טוב is the basic, neutral order.

This order is:

subject + verb + adverb/complement

המכונה = subject
פועלת = verb
טוב = describes how it operates

You might sometimes hear different word orders for emphasis, but the standard learning-friendly version is exactly this:

המכונה פועלת טוב

What root is פועלת from?

It comes from the root פ-ע-ל.

This root is very common in Hebrew and is connected to ideas like:

acting
operating
functioning
activity

Related words include:

פועל = worker / operates / acts
פעולה = action, operation
פעיל = active

So seeing פועלת can also help you recognize this broader word family.

If the subject were masculine or plural, how would the verb change?

The present-tense verb changes to match the subject.

With the verb לפעול:

פועל = masculine singular
פועלת = feminine singular
פועלים = masculine plural
פועלות = feminine plural

Examples:

המנוע פועל טוב = the engine works well
(מנוע is masculine)
המכונה פועלת טוב = the machine works well
(מכונה is feminine)
המכשירים פועלים טוב = the devices work well
(masculine plural)

This agreement is one of the key features of Hebrew grammar.

Do I need the pronoun היא for the machine?

No. You do not need a separate pronoun.

Hebrew usually does not add a pronoun when the noun itself is already stated.

So you say:

המכונה פועלת טוב

not:

המכונה היא פועלת טוב

That second version would sound wrong in normal Hebrew.

The noun המכונה already gives the subject, and פועלת already shows feminine singular agreement, so everything needed is already there.

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