řídit se + Instrumental

Instrumental Object with Řídit Se

Level 3

In Czech, when you want to say you 'follow' a rule, advice, or a law, you cannot use the direct translation of the English word 'follow'. Instead, you use the reflexive verb řídit se combined with the bare instrumental case.

How It Works

While English uses 'follow' for many different situations, Czech makes strict distinctions:

  • Řídit se + instrumental: To follow instructions, guidance, rules, or advice. Example: řídit se pravidly (to follow the rules).
  • Následovat + accusative: To follow a path, person, or example (následovat příklad). This is somewhat formal. For everyday physical following, use jít za / jet za + instrumental (e.g., Jdi za mnou - Follow me). To express that one event follows another in sequence, use následovat po + locative (e.g., Po středě následuje čtvrtek).
  • Sledovat + accusative: To watch, monitor, or follow on social media. It is also used for following a TV series, a sports match, or physically tailing a suspect.
  • Řídit + accusative (without se): To drive a vehicle or manage a company. Note that to express 'driving somewhere' (traveling by car), you should use jet autem, not řídit.

Remember that the instrumental case here is 'bare'—it attaches directly to the verb without a preposition. However, a very common and interchangeable alternative in everyday Czech is řídit se podle + genitive (e.g., řídit se podle pravidel). Just like with zabývat se + instrumentál, the instrumental case here doesn't mean a physical tool, but rather an abstract object of governance or focus.

Examples (4)

  1. Řídili jsme se vaší radou.

    We followed your advice.

    Word by Word: Guided ourselves we your advice.

    The noun 'rada' (advice) takes the bare instrumental form 'radou'.

  2. Při jízdě po silnici je nutno se řídit dopravními předpisy.

    When driving on the road, it is necessary to follow traffic regulations.

    Word by Word: At driving on road is necessary oneself to guide traffic regulations.

    Used in formal contexts to express compliance with laws or regulations.

  3. Pohyb planet se řídí přírodními zákony.

    The movement of planets is governed by natural laws.

    Word by Word: Movement of planets itself guides natural laws.

    This pattern is also used for scientific or natural governance.

  4. Vždycky se řídím svým pocitem.

    I always go by my gut feeling.

    Word by Word: Always myself I guide my feeling.

    Used in everyday contexts to mean being guided by instinct or feeling.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding the preposition 's' (with).

    Musíme se řídit s pravidly.
    Musíme se řídit pravidly.

    Because the instrumental is often taught as the 'with' case, learners frequently add the preposition 's'. The verb 'řídit se' requires the bare instrumental without any preposition.

  • Using 'následovat' where 'řídit se' is idiomatic.

    Následuji tvoji radu.
    Řídím se tvojí radou.

    'Následovat' is used for following a path, a person or an example. For rules, instructions, advice or laws, the idiomatic verb is 'řídit se' (+ instrumental). 'Následuji tvoji radu' is understood, but 'řídím se tvojí radou' sounds natural.

  • Using the accusative case instead of the instrumental.

    Řídím se pravidla.
    Řídím se pravidly.

    Directly translating the English transitive verb 'follow' leads learners to use the accusative case. 'Řídit se' strictly governs the instrumental case.

How It Connects

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

řídit se + InstrumentalLevel 3Instrumental Object with Řídit Se

Learn This First

To learn the pattern 'řídit se + instrumentál', a learner needs to understand how reflexive verbs work in Czech, how to decline nouns in the instrumental case, and where to place the reflexive particle 'se' in a sentence.

Words in This Pattern

řídit