# Servus: Serwus, Serbus, Szervusz



## Geo.

From Wiki: 


> *Servus* (Slovak: *Servus*, Croatian: *Serbus* or *Servus*, Hungarian: *Szervusz*, Polish: *Serwus*, Austro-Bavarian: *Servus*, Romanian: *Servus*, Slovene: *Serbus* or *Servus*, Czech: *Servus*, Ukrainian: *Сервус*) is a salutation used in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe. *It is a word of greeting or parting like the Italian "Ciao".
> *
> These words originate from the Latin word for servant or slave, servus. The phrase is an ellipsis of a Latin expression meaning, "I am your servant" or "at your service".


The word ‘Servus’ has been touched on in other threads, but its possible dual usage in other languages has not.  (And yes, in some contexts when speaking in the southern German Sprachraum, it can have extended meanings such as ‘My pleasure’ or American ‘You're welcome’, but I should like to stick to its use strictly as a salutation).

In Austria, and the former lands of the Habsburg Empire, as well as in Switzerland, and parts of southern Germany, *Servus does mean both ‘Hello’ & ‘Good-bye’*, for instance:- 

*„Servus, Gruezi, und Hallo“*, by  Maria & Margot Hellwig,

*„Servus, Pfüat Gott, und auf Wiederseh'n“*, from Musikantenstadl.

However, just as «Ciao» means both ‘Hello’ & ‘Good-bye’ in Italian, *but* only ‘Good-bye’ in German & English: 

*What do the variant forms of ‘Servus’ mean in other languages, namely: ‘Hello’, ‘Good-bye’, or the both? 
(And is it considered formal or informal, as well as old-fashioned or current?) 
*
Thanking you in advance.


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## itreius

It means both "Hello" and "Good-bye" in northern Croatia. Its usage is dated/marked (but it's understood by those who don't use it).


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## Geo.

Thank you very much, itreius, and all the more so for such a concise, comprehensive answer.

It gives me some idea that it still survives in at least one of the South Slavic languages; yet I wonder why only in northern Croatia, and not, for instance, on the Dalmatian Coast. (Since the waters of the Adria were so important to the Austrian Imperial Navy, the Croatian Coast was still retained in the Austrian Sector after the Ausgleich of 1867, which saw so much of the Croatian lands come under Hungarian rule).  

I should further like to garner some input on its usage in the West Slavic languages, *Polish, Czech, Slovak, *etc., and whether its *Ukrainian* form *Сервус* is limited to use in the western Ukraine alone, or if it can be found in other East Slavic languages, perhaps even in *Russian* by borrowing.  Two Poles I know held conflicting views on its Polish form *„Serwus”. *The one insistent it only meant 'Good-bye', whilst the other was equally emphatic that it only meant 'Hello'. Both, however, admitted they neither of them used the word themselves; finally agreeing, at least, in finding it far too old fashioned for their own liking.

I should also like to hear of the current *Hungarian* take on _*„Szervusz“ / „Szervusztok“ * &  *„Szia“ / „Sziasztok“*,_ as I understand it has both a singular as well as a plural form when rendered in *Magyar*. I could speculate how it may be used, in fact, a singular and a plural seem only logical in second person address, but as Hungarian is a language of an entirely different ilk, I think it unwise I assume anything. Moreover, I don't know whether it is seen as formal or colloquial, dated or current, to say nothing of common or rare. (I believe it once meant both hello & good-bye, but am not sure in Hungarian use to-day).   

In addition, it would be interesting to get the take of a native *German speaker from Germany* regarding* „Servus“*, specifically someone from the north where it is uncommon to use, (unlike in Bavaria, etc.) 

I am rather hoping a few more Wordreference members, of the various linguistic backgrounds I cited above, might be kind enough to make a similar contribution as your own in this thread. 

I thank you again, itreius,
„S_ervus“    _
George


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## rusita preciosa

I am not familiar with this word or any variations of it in Russian.


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## Geo.

Thank you very much, rusita preciosa.

I suppose the word, or rather the *Ukrainian* variation of it — *Сервус* — never quite made its way into the Russian Empire, and thus into *Russian* itself.

It is surprising how ubiquitous *„Servus“*, (or sometimes *„Servas“, *etc.), is in almost all of *southern Germany*, and Switzerland, but as one moves eastwards, I suppose it only extends through the lands of the former Austrian Empire.  And since large tracts of the *western Ukraine* were under the *Austrian* — or *Cisleithanian Sector* — of *Austria-Hungary*, this must be the reason it is found in western Ukrainian speech, (or at least _was_ at one time).

However, from what you are telling me, it did _not_ make its way beyond the border into the lands of *Imperial Russia.* 

Once again, I thank you for your time, and being so generous with your knowledge.  

Kind regards,
George


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## arielipi

Hebrew shalom is both greet and farewell word, probably arabic salam.


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## Geo.

Thanks arielipi.   Would you happen to know if anyone uses (or used) ‘Servus’ in Yiddish?  It would probably be spelt something close to: *סערוואָס*  in Yiddish orthography.  (Although it might not be allowed in Yiddish, even if understood, as a righteous Jew serves no man, only G-d ... and wishing someone *‘Peace’* when one meets, and when one parts, is such a beautiful expression all on its own). *!**שלום עליכם *


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## francisgranada

Geo. said:


> ...  I should also like to hear of the current *Hungarian* take on _*„Szervusz“ / „Szervusztok“ * &  *„Szia“ / „Sziasztok“*,_ as I understand it has both a singular as well as a plural form when rendered in *Magyar*. I could speculate how it may be used, in fact, a singular and a plural seem only logical in second person address, but as Hungarian is a language of an entirely different ilk, I think it unwise I assume anything. Moreover, I don't know whether it is seen as formal or colloquial, dated or current, to say nothing of common or rare. (I believe it once meant both hello & good-bye, but am not sure in Hungarian use to-day).


 In the past greetings like "alázatos szolgá*ja*" (formal, singular 3.pers.), "alázatos szolgá*tok*" (informal, plural 2. pers.) etc. were used. The meaning is approximately "your humble servant" (Lat. "vester servus humillimus") , where _-ja_ and _-tok_ are possessive endings (=his/her/your servant). Thus the ending *-tok* in _szervusztok, szevasztok, sziasztok_ goes back to this possessive 2.pers.pl., when greeting more persons. In other words, _szervusztok _is not the plural of the proper word "szervusz", but a possessive form.   

This greeting is not formal, perhaps not even colloquial in the sense that it is commonly used among people who address each other by the pronoun "te" (2.pers.sg. - _thou_, Sp. _tu_, Germ. _du_ ...). The most diffused version among young people is surely "szia", but "szevasz" and "szervusz" are still used. They are used both in the sense of hello and good-bye.


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## rusita preciosa

francisgranada said:


> "your humble servant" (Lat. "vester servus humillimus")



In Russian there is a direct translation of that expression, *Ваш покорный слуга */vash pokornyi sluga/  (the last word would be the equivalent of "servant"). It is old-fashioned (I'd say, late 19 century the latest). It was not really used for hello / goodbye, it was a formal way to refer to oneself iinstead of saying *I / me*. 

I guess the closest to "goodbye" would be its use when ending a letter before signing your name (kind of like the English "yours truly").


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## francisgranada

rusita preciosa said:


> ... It was not really used for hello / goodbye, it was a formal way to refer to oneself iinstead of saying *I / me*.


"Alázatos szolgája" - at least in Hungary - later became a _formal _greeting among (rather educated) people. I remember older men (but not women!) from my childhood that used to salute each other "Alá' szolgája" or simply "Szolgája" - abbreviated variants of the full expression. Of course, it had nothing to do with servants any more. 

For better understanding: "szolgá*ja*" means literally "*su* sirviente", i.e. addressed to whom we speak in 3rd pers. sg., thus a _formal greeting_, while "szervusz", practically the Latin variant of the former, was and is used only among people who "tutean" (use tú, 2nd pers. sg).


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## Geo.

francisgranada said:


> In the past greetings like "alázatos szolgá*ja*" (formal, singular 3.pers.), "alázatos szolgá*tok*" (informal, plural 2. pers.) etc. were used. The meaning is approximately "your humble servant" (Lat. "vester servus humillimus") , where _-ja_ and _-tok_ are possessive endings (=his/her/your servant). Thus the ending *-tok* in _szervusztok, szevasztok, sziasztok_ goes back to this possessive 2.pers.pl., when greeting more persons. In other words, _szervusztok _is not the plural of the proper word "szervusz", but a possessive form.
> 
> This greeting is not formal, perhaps not even colloquial in the sense that it is commonly used among people who address each other by the pronoun "te" (2.pers.sg. - _thou_, Sp. _tu_, Germ. _du_ ...). The most diffused version among young people is surely "szia", but "szevasz" and "szervusz" are still used. It is used both in the sense of hello and good-bye.


I thank you very much, francisgranada. 

Because Hungarian is so unique, it's very difficult for someone to try to make out, who has no Hungarian, (like myself).  

Many years ago now, my grandfather introduced me to two Hungarian young men, both about my age at the time, and they said „Szervusz” to me when we met, but because I can't speak Hungarian, my grandfather explained to them, and both said in German:- _„Kein Problem“_, and they spoke to me in German, as they were both perfectly fluent. 

I didn't know about the other forms in Hungarian, and though I thought „Szervusz” could mean _‘Good-bye’_ as well, I wasn't actually certain.  (Because of the complexity of the Magyar language, I don't think it's wise for an outsider, like I am, to assume anything). 

Once again I thank you for your wonderfully thorough explanation. 

_„Szervusz”_
George


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## francisgranada

Geo. said:


> ... _„Szervusz”... _


Szervusz, George . As to the plural, I have another curiosity for you: in Slovak, when greeting more people, the plural form "_servus*te*_" is used. From the Slovak/Slavic point of view it is illogical as "servus" is not a verb, but (originally) a noun. 

A probable/possible explanation is the Hungarian influence on Slovak, i.e. the ending_ -*tok*_ was (mis)interpreted as a verbal ending and "translated" to *-te*. (In Hungarian the personal markers [partially] coincide in verbs and nouns, thus the same _-tok_ can be found also in the 2nd pers. plural of verbs)

A propos, I have a question: is there any Slavic language, except Slovak, where "servus" (or similar greetings) has a different form for plural (greeting more people) ?


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## Geo.

francisgranada said:


> A propos, I have a question: is there any Slavic language, except Slovak, where "servus" (or similar greetings) has a different form for plural (greeting more people) ?


This is an excellent question, francisgranada, and thank you for it.  I don't have any Slavic languages to draw on, myself.  (I only speak English, French, German, and Italian.  German & Italian I have little occasion to speak, now that most of my family in Switzerland are gone, and I don't speak French as well as I once did, now that I no longer need it every day for work). 

The literal German for *„Servus“* might be rendered as *„Zu Diensten!“*, which is fairly close to *‘At your service’ — *_literally_* ‘At (one's) services’* — from the German _„Dienst“_ meaning _‘service’._ However, in this form, there is no 2nd person singular or 2nd person plural, and no formal 3rd person singular or plural, moreover it would no longer be seen as either a salutation or a valediction. 

Likewise, one _could_ say* „Ich bin Dein Diener“*,_ *„Ich bin Euer Diener“*_, &_ *„Ich bin Ihr Diener“*_, (literally *‘I am thy servant’*,* ‘I am your servant’ *(in this case the 2nd person plural, _or an obsolescent hyper-formal 2nd person — in both the singular and the plural, i.e. *‘I am Your servant’ *to a person or person of high rank & title_), as well as the last being* ‘I am your servant’ *in the formal 3rd person — both singular and plural).  Yet, once again, _none of these would be used for either a salutation or a valediction, per se. 
_
I should be very interested to hear what native speakers of Slavic languages, other than the aforementioned Slovak, might have to say in response to your very interesting question.

And thank you once again.


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## Tjahzi

*Swedish* has a similar greeting that is derived from the "native" word servent (rather than _servus_).


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## ThomasK

We can now use 'Dag' in Dutch for both, but short form for greeting and long form ('Dàààg') for going/ leaving!

Before something similar was possible with 'Goeiedag', but with some addition, I suppose, when leaving: 'Nog een ...' [I don't know how to translate this 'nog' precisely: something like 'enjoy the rest of the ...' is not perfect, but gives some idea]...


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## Geo.

Geo. said:


> The literal German for *„Servus“* might be rendered as *„Zu Diensten!“*, which is fairly close to *‘At your service’ — *_literally_* ‘At (one's) services’* — from the German _„Dienst“_ meaning _‘service’._ However, in this form, there is no 2nd person singular or 2nd person plural, and no formal 3rd person singular or plural, moreover it would no longer be seen as either a salutation or a valediction.
> 
> Likewise, one _could_ say* „Ich bin Dein Diener“*,_ *„Ich bin Euer Diener“*_, &_ *„Ich bin Ihr Diener“*_, (literally *‘I am thy servant’*,* ‘I am your servant’ *(in this case the 2nd person plural, _or an obsolescent hyper-formal 2nd person — in both the singular and the plural, i.e. *‘I am Your servant’ *to a person or person of high rank & title_), as well as the last being* ‘I am your servant’ *in the formal 3rd person — both singular and plural).  Yet, once again, _none of these would be used for either a salutation or a valediction, per se. _


Upon reflexion, I remember one _could _say *„G’schamster Diener“* in Austria, _in both cases_, i.e. when meeting and when parting, (and this phrase might be (or have once been found) in Hungary as well). 

It is a contracted form of _*„(Ich bin) Dein / Eure / Ihr gehorsamster Diener“*_, i.e.* ‘(I am) thy / your/ Your obedient servant’.  
*
Yet, having largely only ever spoken German in the context of my mother's family — Swiss, but of Austro-Hungarian extraction — my personal inclination would be to simply use *„Servus“* in both cases.


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## ilocas2

There's a thread about it in an other subforum:

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1708404


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## francisgranada

Geo. said:


> ...  It is a contracted form of _*„(Ich bin) Dein / Eure / Ihr gehorsamster Diener“*_, i.e.* ‘(I am) thy / your/ Your obedient servant’. *


 Yes, for example in the bottom of a letter I would expect "Ihr gehorsamster Diener, XY" (including the pronoun "ihr") which then corresponds to the Hungarian "Alázatos szolgája, XY" or to the Spanish "Su Seguro Servidor, XY" (abbreviated as S.S.S.). _„G’schamster Diener“ _is the analogy of the Hungarian _"Alá'szolgálgája" _(#10)_, _i.e. when this formula was no more used in it's literal meaning, but rather as a greeting  (I think).

As to the etymological ending _-tok_ in case of _szervusztok, szevasztok, sziasztok_,  in my opinion it is maintained/preserved for practical reasons: to distinguish if one salutes a single person or e.g. all of them who are present. The common people, of course, do not  analyze this ending nor do they necessarily know the origin of the word _szia__;_ _sziasztok _is today simply a form used when greeting more people. 

(_-tok_ is a possessive ending of the 2nd pers.pl., not the3rd pers.pl. - so it is _informal_, even if plural)


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## Geo.

ilocas2 said:


> There's a thread about it in an other subforum:
> 
> http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1708404


Servus ilocas2,

Thank you for the link to this other thread. However, I did note:-


Geo. said:


> The word ‘Servus’ has been touched on in other threads, but _its possible dual usage_ in other languages _has not_.


And I _specifically_ asked when I started this particular thread:-


Geo. said:


> *What do the variant forms of ‘Servus’ mean in other languages, namely:  ‘Hello’, ‘Good-bye’, or the both?*



But this point is not addressed in the thread that you sited.

Yet, if a moderator would like to merge ,or delete this thread, I understand, and no further explanation need be given.

Once again, thank you for the link to this additional thread.  It does contain some insightful and interesting information.

Servus, 
George


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## berndf

Geo. said:


> In Austria, and the former lands of the Habsburg Empire, as well as in Switzerland, and parts of southern Germany, *Servus does mean both ‘Hello’ & ‘Good-bye’*.


I have never heard _Servus _in Switzerland. _Ciao _(which etymologically is the same word as _Servus_) you do hear but not _Servus_.


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## Geo.

_Servus_ _Grüezi,_ berndf! 

Ich danke Ihnen herzlich.  (Kommen Sie ursprünglich aus einer Gegend Deutschlands wo man „Servus“ sagt?)

I always appreciate your take on things, because you _actually live in present-day Switzerland_, whereas mine is only a tenuous connexion from long ago.  (You are also from Germany, and I have an inferiority complex, as my best friend's mother was a well-spoken Berlinerin with a degree in German literature.  Sometimes she would correct me, to say things in the Prussian way; at other times she would try not to laugh at a southern word I had used. I always assumed the way she spoke must be the only proper way, as I never had any formal education in German whatsoever). 

Because my mother's family fled Austria-Hungary during W.W. I, and my mother was born in Switzerland, I was used to hearing _Servus_ in our family back in Switzerland.  Her siblings received at least half of their education there, and with the younger ones, like my mother, all of their education was in Switzerland.  However, there is no denying _her parents were Austrian_, although they both spoke French & Italian fluently, (and my grandfather, at least, was proficient in Hungarian, although it was very much an acquired language for him).

If speaking in German we said _„Servus!“_ for _both ‘Hello’ & ‘Good-bye’_, although because we often said _„Grüß Gott!“_ or _„Grüezi!“_ for _‘Hello’_, this meant _„Servus“_ was used only slightly more for _‘Good-bye’_, along with _„Pfüat Gott!“_. (I suppose I should now have to ask you if _„Pfüat Gott!“ _is used in _Switzerland by the Swiss_, and not just by Austrian émigrés like my family had been).

How _echt Schwyzerdütsch_ any of these words and phrases sound, I am only sure of _„Grüezi!“_ ... and only on the Austrian border.

Nochmals herzlichen Dank
_Servus_ _Ciao _
George

Poscritto: Parlo anche italiano — attualmente ho dimenticato gran parte della lingua — ma diciamo «ciao» solamente quando parliamo in italiano, ma non mai in tedesco. Ed usiamo la parola a dire «Salve!» ed «Addio!». Jedoch _nicht_ auf Deutsch, sondern auf Deutsch bedeutet _„Ciao!“_ (oder _„Tschau!“_) nur _„Tschüß!“ _allein,_ nicht?_


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## berndf

No, _Pfiat di/enk/eana Gott_ is Austro-Bavarian. You won't hear this in Switzerland. And I haven't heard any equivalent (would be something like _bhüet i/bhüet ech?_ My Swiss German isn't great and that already an overstatement) in Swiss dialect. The colloquial way to say good bye I hear most often is _Ade_.

I myself am from the North (Hamburg) but my wife is Austrian.

_Ciao/Tschau _can mean both in German German, _hello_ and _good bye_.


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## Geo.

Thanks, berndf,

Kind of you to give such detailed input.  I never knew *„Ciao“*_/_* „Tschau“* could mean _both_ ‘hello’ & ‘good-bye’ in German, as it does in Italian. 

*„Ade“* was also very commonly said in my family as well, but I never knew whether we brought that with us from Austria, or picked it up in Switzerland. 

I imagine _no-one _uses *„Servus“ *in Hamburg, as Hamburg is close to Denmark and the erstwhile disputed lands of Schleswig-Holstein ... and that _is very northern_ to one who is Swiss-Austrian).

I'd assume with radio & telly, people are acquainted with a greater number of dialects than they'd have been at one time, so *„Servus“* would be both heard & understood in the north to-day. 

The reason I ask is I wonder how *„Servus“* strikes the ears of someone who simply never uses it.  Does it merely sound southern, polite, too servile, antiquated, unusual … _or just plain odd?_

Best regards, 
George

PS:- My Swiss-German is rubbish too, not that my German is good at the best of times.  My late mother spoke Swiss dialect fluently, but could then turn in a flash to proper German … but not I.


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## berndf

Geo. said:


> The reason I ask is I wonder how *„Servus“* strikes the ears of someone who simply never uses it.


It is strongly identified with the Austro-Bavarian dialect area.


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## zaffy

We say "Serwus" in everyday language. In sounds informal and it means "Hi". But you say it only when you're about to shake someone's hand, and only to males.


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## Nanon

There is a dated, infrequent and somewhat ironical use of _serviteur _in French as an interjection, to say good-bye in a hurry. It comes from an abridged form of a formal good-bye: _Je reste votre ((très) humble) serviteur._ This thread refers: Serviteur ! (interjection)
I have never come across the use of the feminine form _servante _as an interjection.


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## ThomasK

ThomasK said:


> We can now use 'Dag' in Dutch for both, but short form for greeting and long form ('Dàààg') for going/ leaving!
> 
> Before something similar was possible with 'Goeiedag', but with some addition, I suppose, when leaving: 'Nog een ...' [I don't know how to translate this 'nog' precisely: something like 'enjoy the rest of the ...' is not perfect, but gives some idea]...


i just thought while  reading Nanon's contribution and previous ones: "uw dienaar" (servant) can be used ironically, but only when someone shows expectations as for something to be done or appreciation for what has been done... No link with greeting, I'd say.


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## Nanon

ThomasK said:


> "Uw dienaar" (servant) can be used ironically, but only when someone shows expectations as for something to be done or appreciation for what has been done... No link with greeting, I'd say.


_À votre service_ may work in French in the same context.


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