Il termosifone non funziona bene perché nel tubo c’è ancora aria.

to be

Breakdown of Il termosifone non funziona bene perché nel tubo c’è ancora aria.

• non: not
• perché: because
• nel: in

Questions & Answers about Il termosifone non funziona bene perché nel tubo c’è ancora aria.

What exactly does termosifone mean?

In everyday Italian, termosifone usually means a radiator—the heating unit attached to the wall that warms a room.

A few notes:

• It is a masculine singular noun.
• In English, the closest natural translation is usually radiator.
• In some contexts Italians may also say calorifero, but termosifone is very common.

Why is it Il termosifone?

Because termosifone is a masculine singular noun, so the definite article is il.

So:

• il termosifone = the radiator

If it were plural, it would be:

• i termosifoni = the radiators

Why is the verb funziona?

Funziona is the 3rd person singular present of funzionare = to function / to work.

It matches the subject:

• il termosifone = singular
• so the verb must also be singular: funziona

Breakdown:

• funzionare = to work, to function
• funziona = it works / is working

So:

• Il termosifone non funziona bene = The radiator doesn’t work well

What does mean here?