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Questions & Answers about O carro funciona bem.
What is the literal English translation of O carro funciona bem?
It translates as “The car works well.”
Why is the word bem used after funciona in this sentence?
Bem is an adverb that modifies the verb funciona, describing how the car works. In Portuguese, adverbs are used to qualify actions, so bem (meaning “well”) tells us the manner in which the car functions.
Why don’t we use the adjective bom instead of the adverb bem?
Bom is an adjective, which is used to describe nouns (e.g., um carro bom would mean “a good car”). Since we are describing the action of working, we need an adverb. Therefore, bem is correct because it modifies the verb.
What is the tense and form of the verb funciona in this sentence?
Funciona is in the present indicative tense and is the third person singular form of the verb funcionar. It agrees with the subject o carro, which is singular.
Why is the definite article o used with carro, and is it always required?
In Portuguese, nouns are typically preceded by a definite article when referring to a specific item. O carro means “the car,” specifying a particular car. While there are instances where nouns can appear without an article in more general or abstract contexts, using o here clarifies that you’re talking about a specific car.
Is the sentence structure Subject + Verb + Adverb common in Portuguese, and does it differ from English?
Yes, this structure is quite common in Portuguese and is similar to English. In the sentence, O carro (subject) comes first, followed by funciona (verb) and bem (adverb modifying the verb), which mirrors the natural word order in English.
Can this sentence be modified to express a stronger level of functioning?
Certainly. You can intensify the statement by adding an adverb such as muito, as in O carro funciona muito bem, which means “The car works very well.” This modification emphasizes the quality of how the car works.