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)

Rules of Russian Instrumental case (Plural form)

Exceptions of Russian Instrumental case (Plural form)

Personal Pronouns of Russian Instrumental case

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