O carro funciona bem.

the car

Breakdown of O carro funciona bem.

• bem: well
• funcionar: to work

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?