servicio público
/seɾbiθjo publiko/from spelling rulesmasculine
The English phrase "public service" is translated into Spanish as servicio público.
servicio público refers to service provided to the general public by a government or other official body. In Spanish, when referring to the concept of "the public service" in a general sense, the definite article el is typically used, resulting in el servicio público.
Meaning: service provided to the general public by government or other official body (noun)
Which one should you use?
While servicio público refers to the concept of public service or a specific utility, servicio al cliente is the term used for "customer service".
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form servicios públicos requires both the noun and the adjective to change to their plural forms.
Did you know?
- While 'public service' in English can sometimes mean 'community service', in Spanish, servicio público almost exclusively refers to state-run or regulated utilities and transport.
- The word público is a 'learned borrowing', meaning it was consciously reintroduced into Spanish from Latin rather than evolving naturally through colloquial speech.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a person who works in the 'public service' is often referred to as a funcionario, a term that carries a specific weight of authority and permanence.
Examples in context
- Tom dedicó su vida al servicio público.Tom devoted his whole life to public service.This sentence shows how to express that someone devoted their life to servicio público.Tatoeba #1396831 by marcelostockle, translation #1094875 by CK
- Él dedicó su vida al servicio público en beneficio de la comunidad.He dedicated his life to public service for the benefit of the community.
- Es importante fomentar el espíritu de servicio a la sociedad desde una edad temprana.It is important to promote the spirit of service to society from an early age.
- El transporte es un servicio público esencial.Transport is an essential public service.
- Ellos buscan mejorar el servicio público.They are looking to improve the public service.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing their career options at a cafe.
- Sofía¿Quieres trabajar en el sector privado?Do you want to work in the private sector?
- MateoNo, prefiero dedicarme al servicio público.No, I prefer to dedicate myself to public service.
- SofíaEs una meta muy noble, Mateo.It is a very noble goal, Mateo.
- MateoGracias, Sofía, me apasiona ayudar a la gente.Thanks, Sofia, I am passionate about helping people.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “public service” translations and entries servicio público, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries público, servicio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
