servire

Servire is an Italian verb with several related meanings centered on providing service or usefulness. It commonly means to serve someone or something (as in waitstaff serving customers, or food being served), to be of use or to function in a given role, and to be employed for a purpose. The phrase mi serve (or mi servono) expresses a personal need, as in “Mi serve una penna” (I need a pen) and “Mi servono due penne” (I need two pens).

Etymology and related forms: Servire derives from Latin servire, itself linked to servus meaning “slave” or “servant.” Over time, it broadened beyond the strict sense of servitude to include usefulness, utility, and operation. The verb appears in many fixed expressions and can take different prepositions to indicate purpose or function, such as servire a fare qualcosa or servire per uno scopo.

Usage and construction: Servire can be transitive, taking a direct object when referring to providing service or presenting something to others, as in “Il cameriere serve i clienti” (The waiter serves the customers) and “Questo piatto serve per due persone” (This dish serves two people). It can also be used intransitively or impersonally to indicate usefulness or necessity, e.g., “Questo strumento serve” or “Serve una decisione” (A decision is needed). In the construction mi serve/mi servono, the verb follows the relative number of items.

Conjugation and forms: In the present indicative, it is io servo, tu servi, lui/lei serve, noi serviamo, voi servite, loro servono. The passato prossimo uses avere + servito; imperfecto is servivo/servivi/serviva/servivamo/servivate/servivano. The future is servirò, servirai, servirà, servireremo, servirete, serviranno. The gerund is servendo; the past participle is servito. The present subjunctive forms include che io serva, che tu serva, che lui serva, etc.