Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador. - My laptop doesn't work without a charger.

Here portátil is a noun meaning “laptop.” In Spain it’s usually masculine: el portátil / mi portátil. As an adjective, portátil means “portable” and is invariable for gender (e.g., un altavoz portátil, una radio portátil).

Why is it funciona and not something like trabaja?

Spanish uses funcionar for machines/devices to mean “to work/operate.” Trabajar is used for people (and metaphorically for systems), not for gadgets. So: Mi portátil no funciona, not no trabaja.

Why is there no article after sin? Could I say sin el cargador or sin su cargador?

Sin cargador = “without a charger” in a general, non-specific sense (most natural here).
Sin el cargador = “without the charger” (a specific one, e.g., the one that came with it).
Sin su cargador = “without its charger,” explicitly tying it to the laptop’s own charger. All are correct; choose based on how specific you want to be. Note: there’s no contraction with sin (it stays sin el, not something like “sinel”).

Could I say no puede funcionar instead of no funciona?

Yes. No funciona states a general fact/habit (“it doesn’t work”). No puede funcionar emphasizes inability (“it cannot work”). Both are fine; the original is briefer and most common.

Can I change the word order?

Yes. All of these are natural, with slight differences in emphasis:

Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador. (neutral)
Sin cargador, mi portátil no funciona. (fronted condition)
Mi portátil, sin cargador, no funciona. (parenthetical emphasis)
Mi portátil sin cargador no funciona. (focus on the “without charger” condition)

Does sin cargador mean I don’t physically have a charger, or just that it’s not plugged in?

It’s ambiguous and can imply either. To be specific:

Not plugged in: sin estar enchufado al cargador / si no lo conecto al cargador.
No charger available: sin tener cargador / sin el cargador a mano.

What’s the difference between cargador, cable, enchufe, and toma de corriente?

Cargador: the charger (adapter + brick, possibly with its cable).
Cable (de carga): the charging cable only.
Enchufe (Spain): the plug or the wall socket (context decides).
Toma de corriente: the wall outlet/socket (more formal/technical). You might also hear adaptador or alimentador for the power adapter.

How do I handle singular/plural here?

Singular: Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador.
Plural: Mis portátiles no funcionan sin cargador (or sin cargadores if you mean each needs one).
Forms: portátil → portátiles; cargador → cargadores.

How do I pronounce portátil, and what’s the accent mark for?

Stress the middle syllable: por-TÁ-til. The accent on á marks the stressed syllable: portátil. In the plural it stays: portátiles.
Pronunciation tips: portátil [por-TA-teel], cargador [kar-ga-DOR] (approximate).

What would this look like in Latin American Spanish vs Spain?

Spain: mi portátil, mi ordenador portátil (computer = ordenador).
Latin America: mi laptop, mi computadora portátil (computer = computadora).
Cargador is widely understood everywhere.

Can I say no me funciona?

Yes. No me funciona means “it doesn’t work for me” (from my point of view). For example: El portátil no me funciona sin el cargador or Mi portátil no me funciona si no lo conecto al cargador. It’s very common in everyday speech.

How can I say “won’t turn on/only works when plugged in”?

“Won’t turn on”: Mi portátil no se enciende sin el cargador / no arranca sin el cargador.
“Only works when plugged in”: Mi portátil solo funciona enchufado (al cargador / a la corriente) or Mi portátil solo funciona cuando está conectado al cargador. You can also use a clause with subjunctive: No funciona sin que esté conectado al cargador.