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O elevador não funciona hoje.

O elevador não funciona hoje.
The elevator does not work today.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Portuguese (Brazil)

Breakdown of O elevador não funciona hoje.

não
not
hoje
today
o elevador
the elevator
funcionar
to work

Questions & Answers about O elevador não funciona hoje.

Why does the sentence use the definite article o before elevador?
Portuguese uses definite articles more often than English. O elevador means “the elevator” (the specific one in this building). Omitting the article here would sound unnatural in normal speech. You might see the article dropped on signs or headlines, e.g., Elevador fora de serviço.
Why is não placed before funciona?
In Portuguese, não comes directly before the conjugated verb: não funciona. If there’s an auxiliary, não goes before it: não está funcionando, não vai funcionar.
Can I say O elevador não está funcionando hoje instead? Is there a difference?

Yes. Both are correct.

  • Não funciona = simple present; commonly used for current states in Portuguese, so it’s perfectly natural for “isn’t working.”
  • Não está funcionando = progressive; emphasizes the ongoing nature of the malfunction right now/today. They’re interchangeable in this context.
What’s the difference between não funciona, está quebrado, está estragado, and está fora de serviço?
  • Não funciona: not functioning/working (neutral, very common).
  • Está quebrado: broken (suggests physical breakage).
  • Está estragado: out of order/spoiled (common in Brazil; device is not in proper working condition).
  • Está fora de serviço: out of service (formal/signage).
Why can’t I use sem to negate the verb, like O elevador sem funciona hoje?
Because sem means “without” and doesn’t negate a finite verb. Use não to negate verbs: não funciona. You can use sem in a different structure: O elevador está sem funcionar (“the elevator is without functioning”), which is idiomatic in Brazil, but it’s not a direct replacement for não.
Can hoje go somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. Common placements:

  • O elevador não funciona hoje. (neutral)
  • Hoje o elevador não funciona. (today is the focus)
  • O elevador hoje não funciona. (less common, but possible for emphasis)
How do I pronounce the sentence?

Approximate Brazilian pronunciations:

  • O: “oo” (often very short, like “u”)
  • elevador: eh-leh-vah-DOR (final R often like an English “h” in many regions)
  • não: nasal “now” (make the vowel nasal; it’s not exactly “now” in English)
  • funciona: foon-see-OH-nah (stress on “OH”)
  • hoje: OH-zhee (the J is like the “s” in “measure”) Spoken together: [u eh-leh-vah-DOR now foon-see-OH-nah OH-zhee]
Why is it funciona and not funcionar?

Funciona is the 3rd-person singular present of funcionar (to function/work), agreeing with o elevador. Mini-paradigm:

  • eu funciono
  • você/ele/ela funciona
  • nós funcionamos
  • vocês/eles/elas funcionam
Can I drop the subject and just say Não funciona hoje?
Yes, if the context makes it clear what you’re talking about (e.g., you’re standing by the elevator). It’s also common on signs. In general conversation, including o elevador avoids ambiguity.
How do I say it in the plural?
  • Simple present: Os elevadores não funcionam hoje.
  • Progressive: Os elevadores não estão funcionando hoje. Make the verb agree with the plural subject.
Why is it o (masculine) and not a?
Because elevador is a masculine noun in Portuguese, so it takes the masculine article o. Many nouns ending in -or are masculine.
Is funcionar irregular?
No. Funcionar is a regular -ar verb. The present-tense endings are regular: -o, -a, -amos, -am.
Is a double negative possible, like with nunca?

Yes, Portuguese allows negative concord. Examples:

  • Nunca funciona. = It never works.
  • Não funciona nunca. = It never works. (also common) Both are grammatical; the second has reinforcing não.
How do I say “won’t work today” (future meaning)?
What’s the difference between hoje and agora here?
  • Hoje = today (the whole day/that timeframe).
  • Agora = now (this moment). So “not working now” is O elevador não está funcionando agora. You can combine: hoje à tarde, hoje de manhã, etc.
Why isn’t Elevador capitalized?
Portuguese doesn’t capitalize common nouns in the middle of sentences. Only proper nouns, sentence starts, and specific categories (titles, etc.) get capitals. Here, elevador is a common noun.
What’s the role of the tilde in não?
The tilde over ã makes the vowel nasal. Não is pronounced with a nasal “ow” sound. Without the tilde, nao would be a misspelling and pronounced differently.
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