sirvió
/seer-VYOH/
served
The word sirvió means "served" when referring to food or drink.
sirvió(verb)
served
?food or drink
it served
?past action of serving
📝 In Action
El camarero nos sirvió la cena rápidamente.
A2The waiter served us dinner quickly.
¿Quién sirvió el postre en la fiesta de anoche?
B1Who served dessert at last night's party?
💡 Grammar Points
Preterite Tense
This form tells you that the action of serving was completed at a specific point in the past (like 'yesterday' or 'last week').
Irregular Stem Change
Notice that 'servir' changes its 'e' to an 'i' in this past tense form ('sirvió'). This is a common pattern for many -ir verbs.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: "El chef *servió* el pan."
Correction: El chef *sirvió* el pan. (Always change the 'e' to 'i' in the third person simple past.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Result
Use 'sirvió' when you want to emphasize that the serving action was finished and done with.
Sirvió can also mean "was useful" or "had utility."
sirvió(verb)
was useful
?had utility
,worked
?functioned properly
it was good for
?suitability
,answered the purpose
?met a need
📝 In Action
El mapa viejo no sirvió para encontrar el camino.
B1The old map wasn't useful for finding the way.
Ella intentó usar la llave, pero no sirvió.
B1She tried to use the key, but it didn't work.
Su consejo me sirvió mucho durante la crisis.
B2His advice helped me a lot during the crisis.
💡 Grammar Points
Used with 'Para'
When talking about purpose, 'sirvió' is often followed by 'para' (for) to explain what the thing was useful for: 'Sirvió para abrir la puerta' (It was useful for opening the door).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Usefulness and Function
Mistake: "El celular *fue útil* (instead of 'sirvió')."
Correction: While 'fue útil' is correct, using 'sirvió' is a much more natural and common way to say 'the phone worked/was useful' in Spanish.
When referring to duty or organizational roles, sirvió means "served."
sirvió(verb)
served
?military or organizational duty
worked for
?an employer/organization
📝 In Action
Ella sirvió a su país durante veinte años.
B2She served her country for twenty years.
El presidente sirvió un solo mandato.
C1The president served a single term.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object 'A'
When 'sirvió' refers to serving a person or entity, you often need the personal 'a' before the person/entity: 'Sirvió a la compañía' (He served the company).
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Time Frames
This meaning is often used with phrases that specify a duration, like 'por diez años' (for ten years) or 'durante la guerra' (during the war).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sirvió
Question 1 of 2
Which English translation is correct for the sentence: 'La herramienta no sirvió para arreglar el coche.'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'sirvió' have an 'i' when the infinitive is 'servir'?
'Servir' is an irregular verb with an 'e' to 'i' stem change. This specific change happens only in the third-person forms of the simple past (preterite) and throughout the present subjunctive. Think of it as a pattern: 'él/ella/usted' and 'ellos/ellas/ustedes' often trigger this change.
How do I know if 'sirvió' means 'served' (food) or 'was useful'?
Look at the word that comes before or after it. If you see 'la comida' (the food) or 'el café' (the coffee), it means 'served'. If you see 'el teléfono' (the phone) or 'el plan' (the plan), it means 'was useful' or 'worked'.