Instrumental Singular
Add -om to most nouns: bratom, selom, sestrom. Use -em after a soft consonant: prijateljem.
How It Works
| Gender | Basic form | Instrumental |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | brat, Amir | bratom, Amirom |
| masculine | prijatelj, nož | prijateljem, nožem |
| neuter | selo, more | selom, morem |
| feminine | sestra, Lejla | sestrom, 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)
- Idem s bratom u grad.
I am going to the city with my brother.
Brat becomes bratom.
- Razgovaram s prijateljem.
I am talking with a friend.
Prijatelj ends in a soft consonant, so -em.
- Šetam s Eminom uz rijeku.
I walk with Emina along the river.
A feminine name in -a takes -om.
- Ručam sa sestrom.
I am having lunch with my sister.
Sestra becomes sestrom.
- 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
Learn This First
Another singular case.
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.