Conjugation of Spanish Verb – Servir

Cite this Article

FORMAT

x

• MLA
• APA
• CHICAGO

YOUR CITATION

Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. “Conjugation of Spanish Verb – Servir.” Lingua Linkup, 06 Dec. 2022, lingualinkup.com/servir-conjugation.

Copy Citation

YOUR CITATION

Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. (2022, December 06). Conjugation of Spanish Verb – Servir. Lingua Linkup. https://lingualinkup.com/servir-conjugation/

Copy Citation

YOUR CITATION

Julio Cesar Martinez – Spanish Tutor. “Conjugation of Spanish Verb – Servir.” Lingua Linkup, December 06, 2022. https://lingualinkup.com/servir-conjugation/.

Copy Citation

The verb “servir” is widely used among Spanish native speakers, this can have two meanings; one being to work or being useful, and the other when we want to talk about bringing food to the table. In English, this verb is used similar to “to serve”.

Also, this is commonly used in the expression “no sirve para nada” (is useless), that we use when we intend to say in a rude way that someone or something is not contributing with anything.

Let’s learn together!

Before you continue reading, don’t forget the following statements.

• “You” is a pronoun which has different meanings. However, in Spanish we have 3 important pronouns: tú, usted, ustedes. “Tú” is used when you have confidence with the person you are talking to, “usted” is more formal and “ustedes” is used when talking to more than one person, formal or informal.
• In Spanish, we have unspoken subjects, so it is not needed to use a pronoun every time as we do in English.
• We use written accents in Spanish, be careful! Or you will have miscommunication problems in your writing.

Let’s read together the following examples:

• Yo sirvo un vaso de agua.
• Tú serviste la comida.
• Tu computador no servía/ tu computador no servirás/ tu computador no serviría.
• Nosotros serviremos al presidente.
• Los materiales no servirían.

These are some examples of phrases in the Indicative Mode of this important verb

Do you recognize these tenses?

Analyze the previous chart and let’s review some examples.

• We use present tense to refer to the current functioning of something or someone. It is also used to announce that we will serve the food. For example: yo sirvo el té (I serve the tea).
• We use the perfect preterit to talk mainly about a functionality that doesn’t exist anymore, or to say that someone has served the table. For example: el martillo no sirvió (the hammer didn’t work).
• We use the imperfect preterit to talk about a habitual function that we do not know with certainty when it ceased to function. For example: los computadores no sirvieron (computers didn’t work).
• We use the future simple to communicate that something will have a function in a future time: estas manzanas servirán para hacer un rico pastel (these apples will be useful to make a delicious cake).
• We use the simple conditional tense to express the functionality that someone or something would probably have: tú servirías las comida (you would serve the dinner).

Let’s see some of the most used perfect tenses of the Indicative Mode:

• We build compounded tenses using the verb “HABER” (HAVE) and the past participle of the main verb, in this case servir -> servido.
• We use the compounded perfect preterit to express the function something has had since a determinate time. For example: este auto ha servido desde hace muchos años (this car has worked since many years ago).
• We use the pluperfect to talk about the functionality something had before an action developed in the past: Antes de romperse, había servido de mesa por un tiempo (before it was broken, it had served as a table for some time).
• We use the perfect future to express that something will have probably had a function after a certain time. For example: después de terminar, nuestro esfuerzo habrá servido de algo (after finishing, our effort will have worked for something). However, this tense is more commonly used to talk about situations that probably could have happened or to make suppositions. For example: supongo que habrán servido la comida (I guess you will have served the food).
• We use perfect conditional to talk about the consequence of an action that could have happened: si tuviera mis tijeras, habrían servido para cortar el cable (if I had my scissors, those would have been useful to cut the cable).

As you already know, in Spanish we also have two other verbal modes: the subjunctive and the imperative mode

Let’s see the common forms of the Subjunctive Mode:

• Subjunctive is usually used to express wishes, wants and hopes. And it is usually introduced by the words: que, ojalá, espero (que), si, cuando.
• The present form is used to express we hope something or someone works as expected in the present time or near future: Espero que mi opinión sirva (I hope my opinion works).
• The imperfect preterit form is used to mention the function that something or someone could have, also to express our wish to be served a certain food: Ojalá nos sirvieran postres (if only they serve desserts)
• The pluperfect is used to talk about a function that something or someone could probably have acquired if a certain situation had happened: tu dinero hubiera servido para pagar la cuenta (your money had been useful to pay the check).
• The perfect preterit form is used to introduce the consequence when someone or something has got a function. For example: avísenme cuando haya servido la comida (Let me know once you have served the food).

Let’s review a bit the Imperative Mode:

We usually use the imperative mode to give some pieces of advice or, mainly, to give orders. Don’t forget, this mode does not have tenses.

Let’s view some examples:

• Sírveme un poco de gaseosa (serve me a bit of coke)
• Sirva en todo lo que pueda (collaborate in all that you can)
• Sirvamos el almuerzo (let’s serve the lunch)
• Sirvan para algo (Please, be useful in something)

Hey there. Welcome.

I'm Julio Cesar Martinez - and I wrote this article.

Stuck on this topic? Hire me for just 1 hour to start mastering it. Pass a test, improve basic vocabulary or improve your conversational level in Spanish.

Book a 1 Hour Lesson With Me
Price: $14/hour

Spanish Verb Servir – Quiz/Worksheet

1. Yo ________ la comida (indicative mode: present simple)
2. Ella ______ la cena (indicative mode: perfect preterit)
3. Elizabeth __________ el desayuno (indicative mode: future simple)
4. Ese teléfono no _________. (indicative mode: imperfect preterit).
5. Espero que mis ahorros ______ (subjuntive mode: perfect preterit)
6. Ellas _____ ______ al director por años (indicative mode: compounded perfect preterit)
7. Tus reflejos nos _______ ________ en la carrera (subjuntive mode: pluperfect)
8. Los televisores no ________ si se hubieran mojado (indicative mode: conditional simple)
9. Mi mamá ya _______ __________ la comida cuando llegamos (indicative mode: pluperfect)
10. (usted) ______ el almuerzo antes de que llegue su papá (imperative mode)

Answers:

1. Sirvo
2. Sirvió
3. Servirá
4. Servía
5. Sirvan
6. Han servido
7. Hubieran servido
8. Servirían
9. Había servido
10. Sirva

Note on today’s title

Among Spanish native speakers, this expression is used when someone doesn’t eat food we have cooked for him/her.

About the Author:

Specializations: Spanish Tutors on Skype

Bio: I am Julio Martinez, I have studied a bachelor’s degree in language teaching since 2019, and I am close to get graduated.  I have work as English teacher in some institutions in Colombia, I have also worked as tutor supporting some students to improve their Spanish levels and as tutor for personalized French classes. By the same way, I speak not only Spanish and English but also French and Portuguese, I have been participating in a research group of language teaching for people with difficulties. As well as, I have participated in different seminars of different institutions and Universities in the field of languages teaching.

View my Profile to Book a Private Spanish Lesson

Other articles: Spanish Verb Salir Conjugation, Spanish Verb – Poner Conjugation, Conjugation of Verb Elegir in Spanish – Meaning and Examples, Conjugation of the Spanish Verb Seguir