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Conjugation of servire

  • Meaning to be of use, to be needed
  • Level A2
  • Pattern regular (-ire) · conjugated like dormire
  • Auxiliary avere

What is special about this verb

Bold and underlined: the ending. ◆ marks a form that breaks the rule.

Indicative

Imperfettoongoing or habitual past

ioservivo
tuservivi
lui/​leiserviva
noiservivamo
voiservivate
loroservivano

More on this: Imperfect (imperfetto)

Trapassato prossimopast perfect

ioavevo servito
tuavevi servito
lui/​leiaveva servito
noiavevamo servito
voiavevate servito
loroavevano servito

More on this: Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)

Futuro anteriorefuture perfect

ioavrò servito
tuavrai servito
lui/​leiavrà servito
noiavremo servito
voiavrete servito
loroavranno servito

More on this: Future perfect (futuro anteriore)

Conditional

Condizionale presenteconditional

ioservirei
tuserviresti
lui/​leiservirebbe
noiserviremmo
voiservireste
loroservirebbero

More on this: Conditional (condizionale)

Condizionale passatoconditional perfect

ioavrei servito
tuavresti servito
lui/​leiavrebbe servito
noiavremmo servito
voiavreste servito
loroavrebbero servito

More on this: Third conditional: se avessi saputo

Subjunctive

Congiuntivo presentepresent subjunctive

ioserva
tuserva
lui/​leiserva
noiserviamo
voiserviate
loroservano

More on this: Subjunctive: the forms

Congiuntivo imperfettopast subjunctive

ioservissi
tuservissi
lui/​leiservisse
noiservissimo
voiserviste
loroservissero

More on this: Past subjunctive: fossi, avessi

Congiuntivo passatoperfect subjunctive

ioabbia servito
tuabbia servito
lui/​leiabbia servito
noiabbiamo servito
voiabbiate servito
loroabbiano servito

More on this: Sequence of tenses with the congiuntivo

Congiuntivo trapassatopluperfect subjunctive

ioavessi servito
tuavessi servito
lui/​leiavesse servito
noiavessimo servito
voiaveste servito
loroavessero servito

More on this: Third conditional: se avessi saputo

Imperative

Imperativo negativonegative imperative

tunon servire
Leinon serva
noinon serviamo
voinon servite
Loronon servano

More on this: The negative imperative

Non-finite forms

Example sentences from the course

Every sentence comes from this course’s word lists or grammar topics. The verb form is highlighted, and the line below says which tense and person it is.

  • Mi serve una penna.I need a pen.

    serve — Presente · lui/lei

  • Servono due pile nuove.Two new batteries are needed.

    Servono — Presente · loro

  • Assaggia prima di servire.Taste it before you serve.

    servire — infinito

  • L’accesso di emergenza va previsto prima che serva.Emergency access has to be arranged before it is needed.

    serva — Congiuntivo presente · io; Congiuntivo presente · tu

  • Serviamo anche al bicchiere, non solo in bottiglia.We also serve by the glass, not only by the bottle.

    Serviamo — Presente · noi; Congiuntivo presente · noi

  • La foratura dei margini serviva a tracciare le righe.The pricking of the margins served to draw the lines.

    serviva — Imperfetto · lui/lei

Quick practice

5 gaps, first from the example sentences above, then from the table. Every answer counts towards your reviews.

Keep going

Verbs with the same pattern

Related grammar topics

The forms are calculated from the rules of the language — twice, in two independent ways — and checked against every hand-written form in this course. The example sentences are the course’s own.