Meaning
to keep, to cherish, to hold
- to keep, to preserve
- to cherish, to harbor (feelings, memories)
- to hold in store, to reserve
In a sentence
Nonostante il litigio, non serbo alcun rancore verso di lui.
Despite the argument, I hold no grudge against him.
Serbo ancora un bellissimo ricordo della nostra infanzia.
I still cherish a wonderful memory of our childhood.
Chissà quali sorprese ci serba il futuro.
Who knows what surprises the future holds in store for us.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| serbare | infinitive |
| serbiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| serbo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| serbate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| serbi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| serbano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| serba | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| serbavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| serbavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| serbavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| serbavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| serbavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| serbava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| serbammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| serbai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| serbaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| serbasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| serbarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| serbò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| serberemo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| serberò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| serberete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| serberai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| serberanno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| serberà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| serbiamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| serbi | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| serbiate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| serbi | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| serbino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| serbi | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| serbassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| serbassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| serbaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| serbassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| serbassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| serbasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| serberemmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| serberei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| serbereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| serberesti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| serberebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| serberebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| serbiamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| serbate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| serba | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| serbando | gerund |
| serbato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- More literary and formal than tenere or conservare; common in writing, speeches, and elevated style, less in everyday conversation.
- Often takes abstract objects: serbare rancore, serbare un ricordo, serbare rispetto. For physically storing things, conservare is usually more natural.
- Usually conjugates with avere in compound tenses: ha serbato. Regular -are verb.