What does servir in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word servir in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use servir in French.

The word servir in French means serve, serve, serve, serve, favour, help, serve, be for, be used for doing , be used to do, serve as, help yourself to , serve yourself, use, use, serve, deal, serve up, serve no purpose, be no use doing , be no good doing, to serve you, be waited on, help yourself, use your head, take your pound of flesh, help yourself to a drink, serve hot, be the middleman, serve as an intermediary, be the go-between, be used as decor for , be used as a backdrop to , serve as a setting for, be there for decoration, be there as decoration, serve as a lesson, teach you a lesson, be used for bartering, be used as a bartering system, serve God, serve the state, suck up, hand on a plate, with all rights and privileges thereto pertaining. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word servir

serve

(présenter un plat, une boisson) (solid, liquid)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Puis-je vous servir un peu de vin ?
Can I serve you some wine?

serve

verbe transitif (apporter de la nourriture, des boissons)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Julie, tu peux servir les clients de la table 12, s'il te plaît ?
Julie, can you serve the guests at table 12, please?

serve

verbe transitif (donner à [qqn] l'article demandé)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
L'employée de ce magasin sert bien la clientèle.
The store employee serves the clientele well.

serve

verbe transitif (consacrer son activité à)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
C'est un militaire qui a bien servi son pays.
He's a soldier who served his country well.

favour

verbe transitif (être utile, favoriser) (UK)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Si la chance nous sert, nous terminerons à temps.
If luck favours us, we will be done on time.

help

verbe transitif (apporter son aide à [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Je peux compter sur lui, il est toujours prêt à servir les autres.
I can count on him; he is always ready to help others.

serve

verbe intransitif (Sports : engager la balle)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
C'est à qui de servir : à toi ou à moi ?
Whose turn is it to serve: yours or mine?

be for

verbe transitif indirect (avoir une utilité)

À quoi sert cet objet étrange ?
What is this strange object used for?

be used for doing , be used to do

locution verbale (avoir une utilité)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Les allumettes servent à faire du feu.
Matches are used for lighting fires.

serve as

verbe transitif indirect (tenir lieu de)

Cette chambre sert de bureau.
This room serves as an office.

help yourself to , serve yourself

verbe pronominal (prendre)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Nous nous sommes déjà servis une part de tarte aux pommes
We already helped ourselves to a slice of apple tart.

use

(utiliser)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Il y a longtemps que je ne me suis servi de cet appareil.
It has been a long time since I used this device.

use

(exploiter)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Je pense que Thomas se sert d'Alice.
I think Tom is using Alice.

serve

verbe intransitif (vieilli (accomplir des tâches de domestique)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Fernande et sa fille servaient au château.
Fernande and his daughter are servants at the castle.

deal

verbe transitif (donner les cartes aux joueurs) (cards)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
À qui est-ce de servir ?
Whose turn is it to deal?

serve up

(familier (débiter [qch] à [qqn]) (informal)

(phrasal verb, transitive, separable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, divisible--for example, "call off" [=cancel], "call the game off," "call off the game.")
Frank nous a encore servi une histoire qui ne tient pas debout.
Frank served us up another story that doesn't hold water.

serve no purpose

locution verbale (être inutile)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
ⓘCette phrase n'est pas une traduction de la phrase originale. There is no point in arguing - it's useless.

be no use doing , be no good doing

locution verbale (être inutile)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il ne sert à rien de s'énerver, ça ne va pas résoudre le problème.
There is no point in getting angry; that won't solve the problem.

to serve you

(formule de remerciement)

be waited on

(péjoratif (être servi par les autres)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

help yourself

(prélever une part des gains)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")
Le comptable a été renvoyé quand on s'est rendu compte qu'il se servait au passage.

use your head

(réfléchir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

take your pound of flesh

(profiter d'avantages en nature)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

help yourself to a drink

(boire un coup)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

serve hot

locution verbale (plat : servir non refroidi)

be the middleman, serve as an intermediary, be the go-between

locution verbale (relayer les communications)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

be used as decor for , be used as a backdrop to , serve as a setting for

locution verbale (être le lieu de scène)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

be there for decoration, be there as decoration

locution verbale (figuré, péjoratif (faire de la figuration) (may be pejorative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

serve as a lesson, teach you a lesson

locution verbale (familier (apprendre, former)

be used for bartering, be used as a bartering system

locution verbale (servir pour un échange)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Les habits des enfants servent de monnaie d'échange entre voisins.

serve God

locution verbale (être religieux) (religion)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

serve the state

locution verbale (travailler pour le gouvernement)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

suck up

locution verbale (familier, figuré (être servile) (informal)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")

hand on a plate

locution verbale (figuré (mâcher un travail à [qqn]) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

with all rights and privileges thereto pertaining

locution verbale (littéraire (attester et user d'un droit) (formal)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Voici le certificat, en foi duquel je fais valoir et servir ce que de droit.
Here is the certificate, in witness whereof I assert all rights and privileges thereto pertaining.

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French (le français) is a Romance language. Like Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, it comes from popular Latin, once used in the Roman Empire. A French-speaking person or country can be called a "Francophone". French is the official language in 29 countries. French is the fourth most spoken native language in the European Union. French ranks third in the EU, after English and German, and is the second most widely taught language after English. The majority of the world's French-speaking population lives in Africa, with about 141 million Africans from 34 countries and territories who can speak French as a first or second language. French is the second most widely spoken language in Canada, after English, and both are official languages at the federal level. It is the first language of 9.5 million people or 29% and the second language of 2.07 million people or 6% of the entire population of Canada. In contrast to other continents, French has no popularity in Asia. Currently, no country in Asia recognizes French as an official language.