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Spanish Phrase

¿El cajero está funcionando ahora?

/el kaˈxeɾo esˈta funθjoˈnan̪do aˈoɾa/
Meaning"Is the ATM working now?"
💡

Meaning

The speaker is asking whether the ATM (or cash register) is currently operational. It implies the speaker needs to withdraw cash or make a transaction and wants to know if the machine is working at this moment.

🎯

When to use

Use this question when you arrive at a bank, shopping center, or street corner and need to verify that the ATM is up and running before you try to use it.

✦Grammar Breakdown

¿Elcajeroestáfuncionandoahora?

1

Definite article (El)

El is the masculine singular definite article used before a masculine noun like cajero.

2

Noun (cajero)

Cajero can refer to a cashier or an ATM; context determines the meaning.

3

Verb estar + gerund

Estar + gerund (está funcionando) expresses an action in progress right now.

4

Gerundio (funcionando)

Funcionar means 'to work/operate'; the gerund form indicates ongoing operation.

5

Adverb (ahora)

Ahora means 'now' and places the action in the present moment.

6

Interrogative punctuation

Spanish questions are enclosed by opening (¿) and closing (?) marks.

🗨In Conversation

A

¿El cajero está funcionando ahora?

Is the ATM working now?

Sí, está funcionando sin problemas.

Yes, it’s working fine.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • ¿El cajero es funcionando ahora?

    Use estar, not ser, for temporary states like a machine working.

  • ¿El cajero está funciona ahora?

    While "funciona" is correct, pairing it with "está" creates a redundancy. Choose either "está funcionando" or "funciona".

  • ¿El cajero está funcionando ahora?

    In Spain, saying just "cajero" may be taken as a human cashier; add "automático" for clarity.

↔Alternatives

  • ¿El cajero automático funciona ahora?

    Is the ATM working now?

  • ¿Ya está operativo el cajero?

    Is the ATM already operational?

  • ¿El cajero está en marcha ahora?

    Is the ATM up and running now?

es

Cultural Tip

In most Latin American countries "cajero" alone is understood as an ATM, while in Spain people often say "cajero automático" to avoid confusion with a human cashier. Also, the progressive form (está funcionando) sounds a bit more informal; many native speakers simply ask "¿El cajero funciona ahora?" which is perfectly natural.