Instrumental case in Russian language

Instrumental case is the fifth case of Russian language and consists of 5 rules. We are going to discuss them in the following article.

1) Instrumental Case is Used to Designate an Instrument that is Used to Carry out the Action.

Instrumental case in Russian language can be understood with the equivalent meaning in English – “with” or “by”.

Here are some examples:

• Мария пишет карандашом. – Maria is writing with a pencil.

In this sentence, the word карандашом (with a pencil) is the Instrumental case form of the word карандаш (pencil), and indicates the instrument that “Maria” uses to carry out the action – “писать” (to write).

Or another example:

• Пилот управляет самолётом. – The pilot is running the airplane.

And again, this sentence has the word самолётом (by airplane), which is Instrumental case form of the word самолёт (airplane). It denotes the instrument that the “Pilot” carries out the action – “управлять” (to run).

2) Instrumental Case is Used in Passive Voice Construction, Where the Author of the Action is Indicated.

For example:

Дом построен работниками – The house has been built by workers.

The word работниками (by workers) is the Instrumental plural case form of the Nominative singular case word работник (worker) and indicates the author of the action построить (to build). Passive voice is used here since the “дом” – “house” cannot be built by itself.

Or another example:

Пирог приготовлен мамой. – The pie is cooked by mother.

It’s the same story like we mentioned above. The word мамой (by mother) is the Instrumental case form of the Nominative case word мама (mother) and indicates the author of the action приготовить (to cook/prepare).

3) The Instrumental Case is Also Used After Certain Verbs, such as:

Russian	English
называться	to be called, to assume the name
становиться	to be, to serve as
управлять	to govern
увлекаться	to take a great interest
быть	to be
являться	in spite of, despite
восхищаться	to admire

Here are some examples with these verbs:

Я хочу быть президентом. – I want to be a president. (Nominative case form of the word “president” – президент)

Or another one:

Ребёнок восхищается игрушкой. – A child admires a toy. (Nominative case form of the word “toy” – игрушка)

Or one more example:

Мой брат увлекается машинами. – My brother takes a great interest in cars. (Nominative case form of the word “car” – машина)

4) Instrumental Case is Used After Certain Prepositions, such as:

Russian	English
между	between
перед	in front of, before
с	with
над	above, over
за	behind
под	under

Here are some examples with these prepositions:

Мы летим над Москвой. – We are flying over Moscow. (Nominative case form of the word “Moscow” – Москва)

Or another one:

Я люблю гулять с моим братом. – I love to walk with my brother. (Nominative case form of the word “brother” – брат)

Or one more example:

Наш мяч под столом. – Our ball is under the table. (Nominative case form of the word “table” – стол)

5) Instrumental Case is Used with Parts of the Day and Seasons of the Year, in such increments:

Russian	English
утром	in the morning
днём	in the afternoon
вечером	in the evening
весной	in spring
летом	in summer
осенью	in autumn
зимой	in winter

Formation of Instrumental Singular Case Nouns:

Gender	Nominative Singular	Remove	Add	Instrumental Singular	English
masculine	доктор чай	— й	ом ем	доктором чаем	doctor tea
neuter	озеро здание	о е	ом ем	озером зданием	lake building
feminine	дверь машина фамилия	ь а я	ью ой ей	дверью машиной фамилией	door car surname

Formation of Instrumental Plural Case Nouns:

Gender	Nominative Singular	Remove	Add	Instrumental Plural	English
masculine	доктор брат чай словарь	— — й ь	ами ьями ями ями	докторами братьями чаями словарями	doctor brother tea dictionary
neuter	озеро здание	о е	ами ями	озерами зданиями	lake building
feminine	дверь машина фамилия	ь — —	ями ми ми	дверями машинaми фамилиями	door car surname