verb

servir

serve

C’est donner quelque chose à quelqu’un, comme de la nourriture ou de l’aide.

The French verb "servir" translates to "to serve" in English. It has several meanings and uses in different contexts:

  1. Literal meaning: "Servir" primarily means to serve food or drinks. For example, "Je vais servir le dîner" translates to "I am going to serve dinner."

  2. Function or purpose: It can also mean to be useful or to function as something. For instance, "Cet outil sert à réparer des voitures" means "This tool serves to repair cars."

  3. To provide a service: "Servir" can also refer to helping or providing a service in a broader sense, such as in restaurants or stores, where people serve customers.

Synonyms and differences:

  • Fournir: This synonym means "to provide." It has a broader scope and is used more generally for supplying any kind of material or service rather than just food or drinks.
  • Assurer: Means "to ensure" or "to guarantee." While it relates to providing a service, it has more of a connotation of security or reliability rather than serving in the culinary sense.
  • Distribuer: This means "to distribute" and is similar but focuses more on the act of handing out items rather than serving them in a formal or hospitality context.

Overall, while "servir" has specific uses primarily related to providing or serving food and drinks, its synonyms may lean more toward providing general services or materials, each with nuanced meanings depending on context.

Make “servir” part of your vocabulary.

Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Examples

Ce couteau peut servir à découper le pain.verb

This knife can be used to cut the bread.

Nous allons servir la soupe.verb

We are going to serve the soup.

Tu veux servir les desserts maintenant ?verb

Do you want to serve the desserts now?

Cela ne me sert à rien.verb

It is of no use to me.

Le papier sert à écrire.verb

Paper is used to write.

Ils ont servi le repas à leurs amis.verb

They served the meal to their friends.

Keep exploring French

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).