The instrumental case - Russian course

Russian cases
Free course to learn all Russian cases

Lesson 8:
Instrumental - Part 1


The instrumental case of nouns

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Introduction to Russian cases

Introduction to the instrumental case

When is the instrumental case used?

Generally, we use the instrumental case...

  • to express the "instrument" used to perform an action: Он пи́шет ру́чкой - He writes with a pen
  • with the preposition с (with): Я иду́ туда́ с тобо́й - I go there with you / Ко́фе с молоко́м - Coffee with milk
  • to tell the parts of the day: у́тро/у́тром: - morning / in the morning - день/днём: afternoon / in the afternoon - ве́чер/ве́чером: evening / in the evening - ночь/но́чью: night / at night.

What will we learn in this lesson?

We are going to learn the instrumental case of different nouns and pronouns.

Russian vocabulary

Russian vocabulary

Read, listen and repeat the vocabulary of this lesson:

If you still don't know how to read the Cyrillic alphabet, visit our course on how to read Russian.

твори́тельный паде́ж

Instrumental case

ку́рица

chicken

сыр

cheese

ветчина́

ham

креди́тная ка́рта

credit card

нали́чные (always plural)

cash

стать (+ Instrumental)

to become

он согла́сен/ она́ согла́сна

he agrees / she agrees

дива́н

sofa

рисова́ть

to draw

он дово́лен/ она́ дово́льна

he is pleased with/she is happy with...

каранда́ш

pencil

предпочита́ть

to prefer

кра́ски

paints

Russian dialogues

Dialogues in Russian

Read, listen and pay attention to the cases used

Extra help: highliged cases + tables

We have highlighted the words in intrumental. You can also look up these grammar tables while you read the dialogues:

*These tables will open in a new window

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Russian grammar

Russian grammar

Read the following grammar summary. We will learn the cases from this lesson.

The instrumental Case: Nouns

In the dialogues we have seen examples of Instrumental Case (Instr.) in nouns. Below we will learn more about it

Nouns in singular

We have highlighted the endings in the tables for each gender.

Masculine: -ом -ем>

  • Э́то мой студе́нт (Nom.).
    This is my student.
  • Я дово́лен мои́м студе́нтом (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my student.

Feminine: -ой -ей -ю

  • Э́то моя́ кни́га (Nom.).
    This is my book.
  • Я дово́лен мое́й кни́гой (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my book.

Neuter: -м

  • Э́то моё окно́ (Nom.).
    This is my window.
  • Я дово́лен мои́м окно́м (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my window.

Nouns in plural

We have highlighted the endings in the tables for each gender.

Masculine: -ами -ями

  • Э́то мои́ студе́нты (Nom.).
    These are my students.
  • Я дово́лен мои́ми студе́нтами (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my students.

Feminine: -ами -ями

  • Э́то мои́ кни́ги (Nom.).
    These are my books.
  • Я дово́лен мои́ми кни́гами (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my books.

Neuter: -ами -ями

  • Э́то мои́ о́кна (Nom.).
    These are my windows.
  • Я дово́лен мои́ми о́кнами (Instr.).
    I am pleased with my windows.
Russian test

Test

Check how much you have learnt in this lesson:

1. The instrumental case only describes the instrument of an action.
true
false

2. Which option is correct? Я рисую...
карандашом
карандашем

3. What preposition does not require instrumental?
у
под
с

4. How do you say "tomorrow morning" in Russian?
завтра утром>
завтрым утром

5. Finish the following sentence: Я доволен...
с моими друзьями
моими друзьями
моими другами



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