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I don't understand why we use ''ist'' in this sentence:

Damit ist mir gedient.

Because it is phrase or something? And is it the only way we use ''ist'' with the verb ''dienen''?

*Sorry guys im new. I know the meaning I just don't understand function of ''ist'' and ''damit'' in this sentence, it just doesn't make sense to me. Is it just because this is a Redewendung or is there some rule that I might have missed?

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    Do you understand the meaning of sentence at all? Add more context please.
    – πάντα ῥεῖ
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 20:06
  • sorry im new and trying desperately to put this sentence into a logic so i forgot to write that. yes i know the meaning just don't know the rule the logical reason behind it why we use ''ist'' while its partizip 2 form ''habe gedient''
    – bilgeayik
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 20:21
  • Because that is passive. It would well go as Damit war mir gedient.
    – πάντα ῥεῖ
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 20:23
  • oh thank you, so it is zustandpassiv right? if its not we should use gedient werden?
    – bilgeayik
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 20:27

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Danke. Mit dieser Antwort ist mir gedient.

Danke für die Antwort. Damit ist mir gedient.

Damit is a backreference to something in a previous sentence, while adding the preposition mit. That preposition is required by that phrase jemandem mit X gedient sein. It means X is what I wanted.

It's Zustandspassiv of dienen but you should really take it as a fixed phrase. Desconstructing it leads to dienen as a state, and that's odd. Usually one would use bedient for states of dienen/bedienen. Not in this case.

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This is an idiom ('Redewendung') <-> 'This serves my turn.'

You use this sentence, if you're ok/content with an outcome.

More context would be useful.

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  • "this is an idiom ('Redewendung')" Not really. It's perfectly OK regarding usage of correct grammar.
    – πάντα ῥεῖ
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 20:46
  • @πάνταῥεῖ I thing they've got a point. The phrase is perfectly grammatical, but still has idiomatic meaning going further than the literal meaning. Damit ist mir geholfen means, quite literally, that I got helped; damit ist mir gedient usually does not imply servantship, but satisfaction of a request, IMHO.
    – phipsgabler
    Commented Oct 29, 2019 at 16:02

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