Meaning and behavior
What does servir mean?
Servir means to serve (to be a servant or worker; to render service). VerbyGo classifies it as an irregular -IR verb. It is non-reflexive.
to serve (to be a servant for; to work for); to be of use, to be good for.
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- servir
- Gerund
- sirviendo
- Past participle
- servido
Verified irregular pattern
How this verb behaves
Its forms differ from a fully regular -ir pattern in the present, preterite.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of servir for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | sirvo |
| tú | sirves |
| él / ella / usted | sirve |
| nosotros / nosotras | servimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | servís |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sirven |
Present forms
Present progressive
Use present estar with sirviendo for an action in progress now.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy sirviendo |
| tú | estás sirviendo |
| él / ella / usted | está sirviendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos sirviendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis sirviendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están sirviendo |
Present forms
Present perfect
Use present haber with servido for a completed action connected to the present.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | he servido |
| tú | has servido |
| él / ella / usted | ha servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han servido |
Present forms
Present perfect continuous
Use present haber, estado and sirviendo to emphasize an activity continuing into the present.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | he estado sirviendo |
| tú | has estado sirviendo |
| él / ella / usted | ha estado sirviendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos estado sirviendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis estado sirviendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han estado sirviendo |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of servir is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | serví |
| tú | serviste |
| él / ella / usted | sirvió |
| nosotros / nosotras | servimos |
| vosotros / vosotras | servisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sirvieron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of servir, or for background information.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | servía |
| tú | servías |
| él / ella / usted | servía |
| nosotros / nosotras | servíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | servíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | servían |
Past forms
Past perfect
Use imperfect haber with servido for an action completed before another past point.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | había servido |
| tú | habías servido |
| él / ella / usted | había servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habíamos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habíais servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habían servido |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of servir for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | serviré |
| tú | servirás |
| él / ella / usted | servirá |
| nosotros / nosotras | serviremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | serviréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | servirán |
Future and conditional
Future perfect
Use future haber with servido for an action that will be complete before a future point.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | habré servido |
| tú | habrás servido |
| él / ella / usted | habrá servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habremos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habréis servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrán servido |
Future and conditional
Simple conditional
Use the conditional forms of servir for hypothetical or tactful statements.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | serviría |
| tú | servirías |
| él / ella / usted | serviría |
| nosotros / nosotras | serviríamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | serviríais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | servirían |
Future and conditional
Conditional perfect
Use conditional haber with servido for a hypothetical completed past action.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | habría servido |
| tú | habrías servido |
| él / ella / usted | habría servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | habríamos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | habríais servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrían servido |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | sirva |
| tú | sirvas |
| él / ella / usted | sirva |
| nosotros / nosotras | sirvamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sirváis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sirvan |
Subjunctive forms
Perfect subjunctive
Use present-subjunctive haber with servido for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | haya servido |
| tú | hayas servido |
| él / ella / usted | haya servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hayamos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hayáis servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan servido |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | sirvieraAlso accepted: sirviese |
| tú | sirvierasAlso accepted: sirvieses |
| él / ella / usted | sirvieraAlso accepted: sirviese |
| nosotros / nosotras | sirviéramosAlso accepted: sirviésemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | sirvieraisAlso accepted: sirvieseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | sirvieranAlso accepted: sirviesen |
Subjunctive forms
Past perfect subjunctive
Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with servido for an unreal or earlier completed past action.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera servidoAlso accepted: hubiese servido |
| tú | hubieras servidoAlso accepted: hubieses servido |
| él / ella / usted | hubiera servidoAlso accepted: hubiese servido |
| nosotros / nosotras | hubiéramos servidoAlso accepted: hubiésemos servido |
| vosotros / vosotras | hubierais servidoAlso accepted: hubieseis servido |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hubieran servidoAlso accepted: hubiesen servido |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of servir that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| tú | sirve |
| usted | sirva |
| nosotros / nosotras | sirvamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | servid |
| ustedes | sirvan |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of servir.
| Subject | Servir |
|---|---|
| tú | no sirvas |
| usted | no sirva |
| nosotros / nosotras | no sirvamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no sirváis |
| ustedes | no sirvan |
Verified context
Examples with servir
¿De qué sirve esta cosa?
What is this thing for?
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FREsperar no sirve de nada.
There's no point in waiting.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FREsa caja servirá como mesa.
The box will serve as a table.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Servir FAQ
What does servir mean?
Servir means to serve (to be a servant or worker; to render service).
Is servir regular or irregular?
Servir is a irregular -IR verb.
What is the gerund of servir?
The gerund of servir is sirviendo.
What is the past participle of servir?
The past participle of servir is servido.
How is servir conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is sirvo, sirves, sirve, servimos, sirven.
How is servir conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is serví, serviste, sirvió, servimos, sirvieron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.