Agentive instrumental with verbal nouns

Level 4

In highly formal Czech, when a transitive verb is turned into a noun (like "the approval"), the doer of that action is expressed in the instrumental case. This prevents confusion, as the genitive case is reserved for the receiver of the action, even if the receiver isn't explicitly mentioned.

How It Works

When to use it:
This structure is used when the underlying verb is transitive. The receiver of the action (the patient) takes the genitive slot (e.g., schválení zákona - the approval of the law). Note that this genitive shift applies specifically to direct objects that originally took the accusative case. If a verb governs a different case or uses a preposition (e.g., dosažení cíle takes the genitive natively; pohrdání nebezpečím takes the instrumental natively), the object retains its original case or preposition and does not automatically become a genitive. To add the doer (the agent), we use the bare instrumental case without any preposition (e.g., schválení zákona parlamentem). Word Order and Omitted Objects: The patient (genitive object) binds more tightly to the noun and must come before the instrumental agent. Schválení zákona parlamentem is correct, whereas schválení parlamentem zákona is unnatural. If the object is omitted, using the instrumental (schválení parlamentem) prevents ambiguity. Grammatically, the genitive slot for transitive verbs defaults to the patient. Using the genitive for the agent (schválení parlamentu) is risky unless context or logic makes it undeniably obvious (a parliament approves things). Otherwise, it will be misunderstood (e.g., zabití lovce naturally means the hunter was killed, not that the hunter killed).

Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives:
When the agent is a pronoun, the bare instrumental is generally not used (e.g., schválení zákona jím is unnatural). Instead, a possessive pronoun is placed before the verbal noun (e.g., jeho schválení zákona). Similarly, for singular animate nouns (people, animals), possessive adjectives are a very common and natural way to express the agent (e.g., prezidentovo schválení zákona instead of schválení zákona prezidentem).

Alternatives and Register:
The bare instrumental is a feature of highly formal, administrative, and academic Czech. In casual spoken language, speakers strongly prefer standard finite clauses (e.g., jak to parlament schválil). Note that using od + genitive (e.g., schválení zákona od parlamentu) is considered informal or colloquial; it is generally avoided in standard formal writing and often corrected by editors.

Important Distinction:
For intransitive verbs (which cannot take a direct object), the agent simply takes the genitive (e.g., štěkání psa - the barking of a dog).

Examples (4)

  1. Schválení zákona parlamentem proběhlo bez problémů.

    The approval of the law by parliament went without problems.

    Word by Word: Approval of-law by-parliament went without problems.

    The law ("zákona") is the object in the genitive, so the agent ("parlamentem") must be in the instrumental.

  2. Vypracování zprávy nezávislým odborníkem si vyžádá několik měsíců.

    The preparation of the report by an independent expert will take several months.

    Word by Word: Preparation of-report by-independent expert itself will-require several months.

    The report ("zprávy") is the patient in the genitive, pushing the expert ("odborníkem") into the instrumental.

  3. Schválení parlamentem proběhlo překvapivě rychle.

    The approval by parliament went surprisingly fast.

    Word by Word: Approval by-parliament went surprisingly fast.

    Here the instrumental is used for the agent even when the object is omitted. While using the genitive ("schválení parlamentu") would be understood here because a parliament logically approves things, the instrumental is safer because the genitive slot normally defaults to the patient.

  4. Přijetí návrhu vedením společnosti nás překvapilo.

    The acceptance of the proposal by the company's management surprised us.

    Word by Word: Acceptance of-proposal by-management of-company us surprised.

    The proposal ("návrhu") is in the genitive, so the management ("vedením") takes the instrumental.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding the preposition "s" (with) to the instrumental case.

    Schválení zákona s parlamentem proběhlo rychle.
    Schválení zákona parlamentem proběhlo rychle.

    Learners often associate the instrumental case with the preposition "s" (with). However, when expressing the agent of an action, the instrumental must be bare (without any preposition).

  • Putting both the object and the agent in the genitive.

    Different MeaningVypracování zprávy odborníka trvalo dlouho.
    Vypracování zprávy odborníkem trvalo dlouho.

    Vypracování zprávy odborníka is grammatical, but the second genitive reads as 'the expert's report' (possession), not as who did the work. Use the instrumental to show the agent: odborníkem.

How It Connects

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Agentive instrumental with verbal nounsLevel 4

Learn This First

To understand the agentive instrumental with verbal nouns, a learner must be familiar with the formation of verbal nouns themselves. Additionally, they need to understand the general function of the instrumental case for expressing an agent (typically learned through the passive voice) and how it contrasts with the genitive case used for objects of verbal nouns.