dienen
Translation
to serve, to be of use, to function as
Examples
Er dient seinem Land als Soldat.
He serves his country as a soldier.
Wozu dient dieser Knopf?
What does this button serve for?
Die Soldaten dienten ihrem Land.
The soldiers served their country.
Grammar Patterns
((j-m)) to serve sb. Der Ritter diente dem König treu.
((als et4)) to serve as sth. Dieser Raum dient als mein Büro.
((zu et3)) to serve for sth./a purpose. Das Geld dient einem guten Zweck.
Similar Words
Synonyms: helfen (to help), nützen (to be of use); Antonyms: befehlen (to command), herrschen (to rule)
Etymology
From Old High German 'dionōn' (to serve). Related to the English word 'thane'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a waiter in a 'diner' who 'serves' (dienen) you. The words sound similar.