Word of the day – servicio

Today’s word, servicio, is a Spanish word with quite a few different meanings. The basic meaning is service, but it also means order (in a restaurant), toilet, serve (in tennis), (military) service, service charge, and (police) case.

Here are a few examples of how this word is used:

• ¿su servicio, señor? – your order, sir?
• estar al servicio del gobierno – to be on government service
• estar de servicio – to be serviciable / in service
• servicio militar – military service
• entrar de servicio – to go on duty
• servicio de megafonía – public address system
• servicio de café / de mesa – coffee / dinner set
• romper el servicio de uno – to break someone’s service

Related words include servible – serviceable, usable; servicial – helpful, obliging; servicialidad – helpfulness, obliging nature; servidor – servant; and servir – to serve, do a favour to, oblige.

The Spanish equivalent of yours truly is un servidor (a servant), while yours faithfully is su seguro servidor (your trustworthy servant) or atento y seguro servidor (attentive and trustworthy servant).