Spanish Phrase
Mi tarjeta no funciona.
Meaning
Literally, ‘My card does not work.’ It is used when a credit, debit, or any other type of card is being declined, cannot be read by a machine, or is otherwise unusable at the moment.
When to use
Use this sentence at a store, an ATM, online checkout, or any situation where you need to explain that your card is malfunctioning or being rejected.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mitarjetanofunciona
Mi (possessive adjective)
‘Mi’ means ‘my’ and agrees in gender and number with the noun that follows; it does not change form.
Tarjeta (feminine noun)
‘Tarjeta’ is a feminine noun meaning ‘card’ (credit, debit, ID, etc.).
No (negation)
In Spanish, ‘no’ is placed directly before the verb to negate the whole clause.
Funciona (present indicative)
‘Funcionar’ is a regular -ar verb; ‘funciona’ is the third‑person singular present form, used here because ‘tarjeta’ is third‑person singular.
🗨In Conversation
¿Por qué no puedes pagar?
Why can’t you pay?
Mi tarjeta no funciona.
My card doesn’t work.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi tarjeta no es funciona.
‘Ser’ is not used with ‘funcionar’; the correct verb is ‘funcionar’ alone.
Mi tarjeta no funciona bien.
Adding ‘bien’ changes the meaning to ‘doesn’t work well’ rather than ‘doesn’t work at all’. Use the simple form for a total failure.
Mi tarjeta no funciona de.
‘Funcionar’ does not take a preposition after it in this context; ‘de’ is unnecessary.
↔Alternatives
Mi tarjeta está fallando.
My card is failing.
Mi tarjeta no sirve.
My card doesn’t work / isn’t usable.
No puedo usar mi tarjeta.
I can’t use my card.
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries ‘tarjeta’ refers to a credit or debit card. If you need to be specific, say ‘tarjeta de crédito’ or ‘tarjeta bancaria’. When speaking to bank staff, a polite tone (using ‘por favor’ and ‘gracias’) is appreciated, and it’s common to ask ‘¿Podría ayudarme con mi tarjeta?’ (Could you help me with my card?).