Instrumental of Means
Instrumental, no preposition = with what, by what: пішу ручкай (with a pen), едзем цягніком (by train).
How It Works
Tools and materials.
- Я пішу ручкай. (I write with a pen.)
- Ён рэжа хлеб нажом. (He cuts bread with a knife.)
- Мый рукі мылам. (Wash your hands with soap.)
Transport. Мы едзем цягніком (We are going by train), ехаць аўтобусам (to go by bus), ляцець самалётам (to fly by plane). The pattern на + locative says the same thing: ехаць на цягніку, на аўтобусе. Both are standard. See also ехаць and ездзіць.
No з. Я пішу з ручкай sounds as if the pen were keeping you company. The preposition з + instrumental means company (see з + instrumental).
Endings (see instrumental singular endings): ручка → ручкай, лыжка → лыжкай, нож → нажом, цягнік → цягніком, аўтобус → аўтобусам. Remember: an unstressed feminine ending is written -ай, not -ой.
Examples (6)
- Я пішу ручкай.
I write with a pen.
Word by Word: I write pen-with.
ручка → ручкай.
- Мы едзем цягніком.
We are going by train.
Word by Word: We ride train-by.
цягнік → цягніком (stressed ending).
- Ён рэжа хлеб нажом.
He cuts bread with a knife.
Word by Word: He cuts bread knife-with.
- Яна есць суп лыжкай.
She eats soup with a spoon.
Word by Word: She eats soup spoon-with.
- Мый рукі мылам.
Wash your hands with soap.
Word by Word: Wash hands soap-with.
- У Брэст лепш ехаць аўтобусам.
It's better to go to Brest by bus.
Word by Word: To Brest better to-ride bus-by.
Common Mistakes
Adding з before a tool.
Я пішу з ручкай.Я пішу ручкай.З + instrumental means "together with". A tool takes the plain instrumental.
Adding з before a means of transport.
Мы едзем з цягніком.Мы едзем цягніком.For "by train", use the plain instrumental цягніком, or на цягніку.
Writing the Russian unstressed ending -ой.
Я пішу ручкой.Я пішу ручкай.In ручка the stress is on the first syllable, so the ending is unstressed and written -ай.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The instrumental of means follows з + instrumental.
Related Patterns
- Instrumental Singular Endings
Gives the endings: ручкай, нажом, цягніком.
Level 2 - на + LocativeLocation with На and the Locative
На + locative (на цягніку) is another way to name transport.
Level 1 - ехаць / ездзіцьMotion by Vehicle: Ехаць and Ездзіць
Verbs of travelling often take the instrumental of transport.
Level 2 - Instrumental of Route
The instrumental can also name the route: ехаць лесам.
Level 6
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Instrumental of Means in Bubblegum
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