Instrumental Singular

Level 3

Add -om to most nouns: bratom, selom, sestrom. Use -em after a soft consonant: prijateljem.

How It Works

GenderBasic formInstrumental
masculinebrat, Amirbratom, Amirom
masculineprijatelj, nožprijateljem, nožem
neuterselo, moreselom, morem
femininesestra, Lejlasestrom, Lejlom

The ending -em follows a soft consonant and also appears after c, as in ocem. Neuter nouns in -e use -em, as in morem.

Feminine nouns that end in a consonant make the instrumental in another way, for example radošću (from radost). A later entry gives that group.

You meet this case most often after s or sa (with), and with means of transport and tools. Both uses have their own entries.

Examples (5)

  1. Idem s bratom u grad.

    I am going to the city with my brother.

    Brat becomes bratom.

  2. Razgovaram s prijateljem.

    I am talking with a friend.

    Prijatelj ends in a soft consonant, so -em.

  3. Šetam s Eminom uz rijeku.

    I walk with Emina along the river.

    A feminine name in -a takes -om.

  4. Ručam sa sestrom.

    I am having lunch with my sister.

    Sestra becomes sestrom.

  5. Pijem kafu s mlijekom.

    I drink coffee with milk.

    Mlijeko becomes mlijekom.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the noun in the nominative after s.

    Razgovaram s prijatelj.
    Razgovaram s prijateljem.

    The noun after s needs the instrumental ending.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Instrumental SingularLevel 3

Learn This First

Another singular case.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

instrumentaljednina