Russian Instrumental case (Твори́тельный паде́ж)
Russian Instrumental case applies to the instrument with the help of which an action is performed.
The instrument can be a person, thing or any other object.
In English, Instrumental case can be indicated as prepositions "by", "with", "by means of".
Example:
Ма́ша игра́ет с соба́кой (Masha plays with a dog)
Masha plays (doing action) with the help of the dog (the instrument)
Instrumental case must be applied to the word "dog"
Ма́ша игра́ет с соба́кой
Usage of Russian Instrumental case
Instrumental case must be applied to the Nominative form of a noun
Let's analyze our example: Ма́ша игра́ет с соба́кой
Ма́ша - name Masha
игра́ет - conjugated verb form "игра́ть" (to play)
c - with (preposition)
соба́кой - "dog" in instrumental form
Using instrumental case on the word "собака"
1. Determine the gender of a noun. Соба́ка is Feminine
2. Remove the last letter of the nominative form of a noun. Remove the last "a" in the word соба́ка (nominative form)
3. Add the appropriate ending based on the rules below. Соба́ка changes to соба́кой
Rules of Russian Instrumental case (Singular form)
MASCULINE NOUN (Nominative) | Remove last letter | Add ending | MASCULINE NOUN (Instrumental) |
бра́т (brother) | If consonant, do not remove | ом | бра́том |
геро́й (hero) | й | ем | геро́ем |
учи́тель (teacher) | ь | учи́телем | |
па́па (dad) | а | ой | па́пой |
MASCULINE EXCEPTIONS | If unstressed ending | Add ending | |
ко́лледж (college) | ж | ем | ко́лледжем |
ме́сяц (month) | ц | ме́сяцем | |
сэ́ндвич (sandwich) | ч | cэ́ндвичем | |
фи́ниш (finish) | ш | фи́нишем | |
това́рищ (comrade) | щ | това́рищем | |
If stressed ending | Add ending | ||
ца́рь (king/tsar) | ь - remove | ём | царём |
FEMININE NOUN (Nominative) | Remove last letter | Add ending | FEMININE NOUN (Instrumental) |
две́рь (door) | ь | ью | две́рью |
ка́рта (map) | а | ой | ка́ртой |
сту́дия (studio) | я | ей | сту́дией |
FEMININE EXCEPTIONS | if stressed ending | ||
земля́ (land) | я | ёй | землёй |
NEUTER NOUN (Nominative) | Do not remove | Add ending | NEUTER NOUN (Instrumental) |
письмо́ (letter) | - | м | письмо́м |
Rules of Russian Instrumental case (Plural form)
MASCULINE NOUN (Nominative Singular) | Remove last letter | Add ending | MASCULINE NOUN (Nominative Plural) |
това́рищ (comrade) | If consonant, do not remove | ами | това́рищами |
учи́тель (teacher) | ь | ями | учителя́ми |
геро́й (hero) | й | ями | геро́ями |
FEMININE NOUN (Nominative Singular) | Remove last letter | Add ending | FEMININE NOUN (Nominative Plural) |
ка́рта (map) | а | ами | ка́ртами |
ста́нция (station) | я | ями | ста́нциями |
NEUTER NOUN (Nominative Singular) | Remove last letter | Add ending | NEUTER NOUN (Nominative Plural) |
я́блоко (apple) | о | ами | я́блоками |
зда́ние (building) | е | ями | зда́ниями |
Exceptions of Russian Instrumental case (Plural form)
Remember! Some Nouns have alternative endings for Instrumental case | ||
Masculine Nominative | Masculine Dative | |
Singular | Plural | Plural |
бра́т (brother) | бра́тья (brothers) | бра́тьями |
стул (chair) | сту́лья (chairs) | сту́льями |
рот (mouth) | рты (mouths) | ртами |
сын (son) | сыновья́ (sons) | сыновья́ми |
друг (friend) | друзья́ (friends) | друзя́ми |
ребёнок (child) | дети (children) | детьми́ |
челове́к (person) | лю́ди (people) | людьми́ |
Feminine Nominative | Feminine Dative | |
Singular | Plural | Plural |
дочь (daughter) | до́чери (daughters) | дочерьми́ |
сестра́ (sister) | сёстры (sisters) | сёстрами |
Neuter Nominative | Neuter Dative | |
Singular | Plural | Plural |
вре́мя (time) | времена́ (times) | времена́ми |
и́мя (name) | имена́ (names) | имена́ми |
Personal Pronouns of Russian Instrumental case
Nominative | Instrumental | |||||
Russian | Transcript | English | Russian | Transcript | English | |
Singular | Я | [Ya] | I | Мно́й | [Mnoy] | Me |
Ты | [Ti] | You (informal) | Тобо́й | [Toboy] | You (informal) | |
Он | [On] | He | Им | [im] | Him | |
Она | [Ona] | She | Ей | [Yey] | Her | |
Оно | [Ono] | It | Им | [im] | It | |
Plural | Мы | [Mi] | We | На́ми | [Nami] | Us |
Вы | [Vi] | You (formal/pl) | Ва́ми | [Vami] | You (formal/pl) | |
Они | [Oni] | They | И́ми | [imi] | Them |
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