валодаць / ганарыцца + Instrumental
Formal Verbs Taking the Instrumental
Валодаць, ганарыцца and захапляцца take the instrumental: валодаць беларускай мовай (to be fluent in Belarusian), ганарыцца дачкой (to be proud of one's daughter).
How It Works
You already know verbs that take the instrumental (verbs taking the instrumental). This group is common in both speech and writing; валодаць with a language sounds a little more formal:
- валодаць: to own, to control; with a language or skill, to have command of: валодаць зямлёй (to own land), валодаць англійскай мовай (to speak English well)
- ганарыцца: to be proud of: ганарыцца поспехамі (to be proud of one's achievements)
- захапляцца: to admire, to be keen on: захапляцца футболам (to be into football)
- кіраваць: to manage, to run, to steer: кіраваць кампаніяй (to run a company)
- цікавіцца: to be interested in: цікавіцца гісторыяй (to be interested in history)
Endings. Use the instrumental endings (singular, plural): мовай, дачкой, сынам, поспехамі. Numerals decline too (numeral declension): валодаць трыма мовамі (to speak three languages).
Possessives. When the owner is the subject, use свой: Бацькі ганарацца сваёй дачкой. (The parents are proud of their daughter.)
Nouns from these verbs keep the instrumental: валоданне мовай (command of a language), захапленне музыкай (a passion for music).
Examples (6)
- Ён добра валодае беларускай мовай.
He is fluent in Belarusian.
Word by Word: He well commands Belarusian language(instr.).
- Бацькі ганарацца сваёй дачкой.
The parents are proud of their daughter.
Word by Word: Parents are-proud own daughter(instr.).
- Я захапляюся яе смеласцю.
I admire her courage.
Word by Word: I admire her courage(instr.).
- Яна валодае трыма мовамі.
She speaks three languages.
Word by Word: She commands three(instr.) languages(instr.).
The numeral тры is also in the instrumental: трыма.
- Хто кіруе гэтай кампаніяй?
Who runs this company?
Word by Word: Who manages this company(instr.)?
- Мой сын цікавіцца гісторыяй.
My son is interested in history.
Word by Word: My son is-interested history(instr.).
Common Mistakes
Using the accusative after валодаць.
Ён валодае англійскую мову.Ён валодае англійскай мовай.Валодаць takes the instrumental, not the accusative.
Adding a preposition after ганарыцца.
Мы ганарымся за нашых дзяцей.Мы ганарымся нашымі дзецьмі.Ганарыцца takes the instrumental directly, without за.
Leaving the numeral in the nominative.
Яна валодае тры мовамі.Яна валодае трыма мовамі.The whole phrase goes into the instrumental, so тры becomes трыма.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Formal instrumental verbs follow basic ones.
Related Patterns
- Instrumental Singular Endings
Instrumental singular endings for these objects.
Level 2 - Plural Dative, Instrumental and Locative
Instrumental plural endings, as in поспехамі.
Level 3 - Declension of Cardinal Numerals
Numerals take the instrumental too: трыма мовамі.
Level 5 - свойThe Reflexive Possessive Свой
Use свой when the owner is the subject: ганарыцца сваёй дачкой.
Level 3 - дасягнуць / пазбягаць + GenitiveFormal Verbs Taking the Genitive
A parallel group of formal verbs that take the genitive.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice валодаць / ганарыцца + Instrumental in Bubblegum
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