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ITALIAN VERB

servire

to be needed (mi serve, I need)

  • #60 most used
  • Regular -ire verb
  • Past participle: servito
  • Gerund: servendo

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. io I am needed
  2. tu you are needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she is needed
  4. noi we are needed
  5. voi you all are needed
  6. loro they are needed

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

  1. io I was needed
  2. tu you were needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she was needed
  4. noi we were needed
  5. voi you all were needed
  6. loro they were needed

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. io I used to be needed
  2. tu you used to be needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she used to be needed
  4. noi we used to be needed
  5. voi you all used to be needed
  6. loro they used to be needed

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

  1. io I will be needed
  2. tu you will be needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she will be needed
  4. noi we will be needed
  5. voi you all will be needed
  6. loro they will be needed

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

  1. io I would be needed
  2. tu you would be needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she would be needed
  4. noi we would be needed
  5. voi you all would be needed
  6. loro they would be needed

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

  1. io (that) I be needed
  2. tu (that) you be needed
  3. lui, lei, Lei (that) he/she be needed
  4. noi (that) we be needed
  5. voi (that) you all be needed
  6. loro (that) they be needed

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders: tu, Lei, noi, voi

  1. tu be needed!
  2. Lei be needed! (formal)
  3. noi be needed! (let’s)
  4. voi be needed! (all of you)

How to use servire

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Mi serve un caffè, subito.

    I need a coffee, right now.

  2. Past

    Ci sono serviti due giorni per finire.

    We needed two days to finish.

  3. Imperfect

    Non mi serviva niente, grazie.

    I didn't need anything, thanks.

  4. Future

    Ti serviranno le chiavi della macchina.

    You'll need the car keys.

  5. Conditional

    Mi servirebbe una mano con le valigie.

    I could use a hand with the suitcases.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Non credo che ti serva l'ombrello oggi.

    I don't think you need the umbrella today.

  7. Imperative

    Servi tu il vino, io porto il pane.

    You serve the wine, I'll bring the bread.

Good to know

  • Mi serve is I need, built like mi piace: mi serve una penna, mi servono due biglietti.
  • Servire is also to serve food, and then it takes avere: ho servito il caffè.

Where you hear servire

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Italian · Beginner Level 1

  • Per la sfoglia mi serve solo il mattarello. For a sheet of pasta, I only need the rolling pin.
  • Per il numero nuovo mi è servito il passaporto. For the new number, I needed my passport.
  • Domani mi servono dieci uova per la lezione. Tomorrow I'll need ten eggs for the class.

Italian · Beginner Level 2

  • Per la sfoglia mi serve solo il mattarello. For a sheet of pasta, I only need the rolling pin.
  • Per il numero nuovo mi è servito il passaporto. For the new number, I needed my passport.
  • Domani mi servono dieci uova per la lezione. Tomorrow I'll need ten eggs for the class.
9
The Kitchen Shopping List

Beginner Level 2 · Laura, cosa serve per domani? · Serve la farina. Dieci chili. · Serve altro?

Needs a subscription 1
The First Cold Morning

Beginner Level 3 · Mi serve una giacca pesante!

Free 18
Christmas in the Square

Beginner Level 3 · Pietro e Gino. Serve ancora una persona.

Needs a subscription 19
Christmas Sweets

Beginner Level 3 · Cosa serve?

Needs a subscription 20
The Notary's Advice

Intermediate Level 3 · Servirebbe la firma di Sua nonna.

Needs a subscription 4
At the Comune

Advanced Level 1 · Serve una marca da bollo da sedici euro.

Needs a subscription 6
At the Bank

Advanced Level 1 · Il codice fiscale. · Per la casa? Quanto Le serve?

Needs a subscription 20
The Power of Attorney

Advanced Level 1 · Perfetto. Allora serve una procura.

Needs a subscription 25
Insurance

Advanced Level 1 · Le serve una polizza per la casa?

Needs a subscription 19
The Staff Meeting

Advanced Level 3 · Serve un'altra persona in sala.

Needs a subscription 20
The Parish Priest

Advanced Level 3 · Ci servirebbero trecento pani per la festa.

Needs a subscription 21
Three Hundred Loaves

Advanced Level 3 · E la farina? Ne serve il doppio.

Needs a subscription

And 2 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -ire verb.