Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador.

My laptop doesn't work without a charger.

Breakdown of Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador.

• mi: my
• sin: without
• no: not
• el portátil: the laptop
• el cargador: the charger
• funcionar: to function

Questions & Answers about Mi portátil no funciona sin cargador.

Is portátil a noun or an adjective here, and what gender is it?

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.