El timbre no funciona bien.

well

Breakdown of El timbre no funciona bien.

• funcionar: to work (to function)
• no: not
• el timbre: the doorbell

Questions & Answers about El timbre no funciona bien.

Does timbre mean “doorbell” specifically, or could it be something else?

In Spain, timbre most commonly means a doorbell or any bell/buzzer that rings (e.g., school bell). It can also mean:

• The tone/quality of a voice: el timbre de voz
• A fiscal/revenue stamp (specialized/technical). Ordinary postage stamp is sello.

Context usually makes it clear. In your sentence, it’s naturally understood as “the doorbell.”

Why is it el timbre and not la timbre?

Because timbre is a masculine noun. Nouns ending in -e can be either gender and must be memorized. Plural: los timbres.

Why use funcionar and not trabajar?

For machines/devices, Spanish uses funcionar (“to work/operate”). Trabajar is for people (and sometimes metaphorically for body parts).

• Correct: El timbre no funciona bien.
• Incorrect: El timbre no trabaja bien.

Why is it bien and not bueno?

Bien is an adverb and modifies verbs (how something works). Bueno/buen is an adjective and modifies nouns.

• Correct: funciona bien (works well)
• Correct: un buen timbre (a good doorbell/tone)
• Incorrect: funciona bueno

Could I say funciona mal instead of no funciona bien? Any difference?