funktionieren: to be working (as intended) [as in: functioning]
gehen: to be working (as intended) [as in: functioning] [also means: to walk, of course!]
| Examples and Usage Notes | Mnemonics |
Examples and Usage Notes:
- “Funktionieren” is used to make statements about whether a machine or device is working as it should.
- “Gehen” can also be used to make statements about whether a machine or device is working as it should, but is more informal.
- To ask how a machine or device works, ask “Wie funktioniert das?”
- To ask how something is done, ask “Wie geht das?” To ask whether something can be done, or to state that it can, say “Geht das?” or “Das geht” respectively.
- “Klappen” is used to say that something you tried to do worked or didn’t work.
| Der Kopierer funktioniert/geht nicht. | The copier isn’t working. |
| Wie funktioniert das? | How does that [machine or device] work? |
| Wie geht das? | How do you do that? |
|
–“Geht das?” –“Ja, das geht.” |
–“Can that be done?” –“Yes, that works.” |
| Das geht so: Erst muß man… | It works like this: First, one has to… |
|
–“Hat das Experiment geklappt?” –“Ja!” |
–“Did the experiment work?” –“Yes!” |
|
–“Hast du das Attachment bekommen?” –“Ja, das hat geklappt.” |
–“Did you get the attachment?” –“Yes, that worked.” [Here, “klappen” is used because it’s not so much a question of whether the computer is running properly as of whether the attempt to send an attachment (something you tried to do) worked.] |
Mnemonics
- Funktionieren sounds like function.
- Gehen means “to work” in English too in the expression “Can you make it go?”