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Portuguese Phrase

Minha TV não funciona.

/ˈmi.ɲa ˈte.ve ˈnɐ̃w fũˈsi.o.nɐ/
Meaning"My TV doesn't work."
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Meaning

The sentence means ‘My TV doesn’t work.’ It states that the speaker’s television set is currently out of order or not functioning properly. The negation ‘não’ makes it clear that the TV is not operating as expected.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you need to tell a friend, a technician, or a customer‑service representative that your television has stopped working. It’s also handy when you’re describing a problem in a home‑repair or travel context.

✦Grammar Breakdown

MinhaTVnãofunciona.

1

Possessive adjective (Minha)

‘Minha’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; TV is feminine, so we use ‘minha’ not ‘meu’.

2

Negation (não)

‘não’ is placed directly before the verb to negate the action.

3

Verb conjugation (funciona)

‘funcionar’ is a regular -ar verb; in the present indicative third‑person singular it becomes ‘funciona’.

4

Abbreviation as noun (TV)

‘TV’ is an abbreviation for ‘televisão’ and is treated as a feminine noun in Portuguese.

🗨In Conversation

A

Minha TV não funciona.

My TV doesn't work.

Você já tentou desligar e ligar novamente?

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • não funciona a minha TV.

    While understandable, the natural order in Portuguese places the possessive before the noun: ‘Minha TV não funciona.’

  • eu não funciona.

    The verb must agree with the subject; use ‘eu não funciono’ only if you’re talking about yourself, not the TV.

  • Minha TV não funciona nada.

    ‘nada’ adds an unnecessary double negation; simply say ‘Minha TV não funciona.’

↔Alternatives

  • A minha televisão está com defeito.

    My television is defective.

  • A TV não liga.

    The TV won't turn on.

  • Minha TV está quebrada.

    My TV is broken.

pt

Cultural Tip

In Brazil, people often say ‘TV’ instead of the full word ‘televisão’, especially in informal conversation. When speaking to a technician, it’s common to add details like ‘a tela está preta’ (the screen is black) or ‘o som não sai’ (there’s no sound). Remember that ‘minha TV’ is feminine, so adjectives and articles must match the gender of the noun.