The Present Tense of Servir is used to describe actions happening in the present moment. For example, Yo sirvo la cena a las 8 p.m. (I serve dinner at 8 p.m.).

Servir is an e to i stem-changing verb in the present tense. The vowel in the stem changes from e to i in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Servir (to serve) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Servir generally means to serve or to be useful, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To serve food or drinks: for example, El camarero nos sirve la cena. (The waiter serves us dinner.)

To be useful or to serve a purpose: for example, Este libro me sirve para aprender español. (This book serves me to learn Spanish.)

To work or be employed: for example, Ella sirve en un restaurante. (She works at a restaurant.)

To provide a service: for example, El gobierno sirve a los ciudadanos. (The government serves the citizens.)

To be good enough or sufficient (colloquial): for example, Esta comida me sirve por ahora. (This food is good enough for me for now.)

To be useful for a specific purpose (colloquial): for example, ¿Para qué sirve esto? (What is this useful for?)

To mock or make fun of someone (rude, colloquial): for example, ¡Ja! ¡Te sirvo! (Ha! I’m mocking you!)

Examples

Examples of Servir in the Present Tense

Yo sirvo la cena a las 7 pm. (I serve dinner at 7 pm.)

Mi hermana sirve en un restaurante los fines de semana. (My sister serves at a restaurant on weekends.)

¿Ustedes sirven vino en este bar? (Do you all serve wine in this bar?)

Nosotros servimos comida mexicana aquí. (We serve Mexican food here.)

Ellos sirven el desayuno hasta las 11 am. (They serve breakfast until 11 am.)

En la fiesta, servís las bebidas, ¿verdad? (At the party, you serve the drinks, right?)

Cada mañana, sirvo café recién hecho. (Every morning, I serve freshly brewed coffee.)

Los meseros sirven la comida con una sonrisa. (The waiters serve the food with a smile.)

¿Qué platos sirves en tu restaurante favorito? (What dishes do you serve at your favorite restaurant?)

En este bar, servimos cocteles y bocadillos. (In this bar, we serve cocktails and snacks.)

Ustedes sirven un propósito importante en la comunidad. (You all serve an important purpose in the community.)

El camarero sirve la mesa con eficiencia. (The waiter serves the table efficiently.)

En eventos formales, servimos vino de la mejor calidad. (At formal events, we serve the highest quality wine.)

¿Sirves la comida en platos o en charolas? (Do you serve the food on plates or trays?)

Ellas sirven al prójimo como voluntarias. (They serve others as volunteers.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Servir (to serve) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.