The Instrumental Without ar
The instrumental usually comes after ar, but some phrases use it on its own: iet kājām (to go on foot), staigāt basām kājām (to walk barefoot), meitene zilām acīm (a girl with blue eyes), nedēļām ilgi (for weeks).
How It Works
1. The usual pattern and the older one. Modern Latvian mostly says ar + instrumental (see ar + instrumental). An older form without ar is still common in the phrases below. In the plural it has the same endings as the dative plural: -iem, -ām, -ēm, -īm (see prepositions + dative plural).
2. How you move.
- iet kājām (to go on foot). Kājām has become an adverb of its own.
- staigāt basām kājām (to walk barefoot).
3. What someone looks like. After a noun, an adjective + noun in the instrumental describes a feature: meitene zilām acīm (a girl with blue eyes), vīrietis gariem matiem (a man with long hair). Ar is also correct here: meitene ar zilām acīm. A similar meaning can be given by a genitive before the noun (see genitive of description).
4. How much and how long.
- By the sack or basket: pirkt maisiem kartupeļu (to buy potatoes by the sack), Lietus lija straumēm (The rain poured down in streams).
- For a long time: nedēļām ilgi (for weeks), stundām ilgi (for hours), gadiem ilgi (for years).
Watch out: outside the set phrases and descriptions above, keep ar. Say Es rakstu ar pildspalvu (I write with a pen); the bare form here is not natural. Related adverbs in -ām are covered in adverbs in -ām.
Examples (6)
- Uz darbu es eju kājām.
I walk to work.
Word by Word: To work I go by-feet.
- Bērni skraidīja pa pļavu basām kājām.
The children ran around the meadow barefoot.
Word by Word: Children ran-about across meadow with-bare feet.
- Durvīs stāvēja meitene zilām acīm.
A girl with blue eyes stood in the doorway.
Word by Word: In-doorway stood girl with-blue eyes.
- Viņš nedēļām ilgi gaidīja vēstuli.
He waited for the letter for weeks.
Word by Word: He for-weeks long waited letter.
- Rudenī mēs pērkam maisiem kartupeļu.
In autumn we buy potatoes by the sack.
Word by Word: In-autumn we buy by-sacks of-potatoes.
Kartupeļu is genitive because it names what the sacks hold.
- Lietus lija straumēm.
The rain poured down in streams.
Word by Word: Rain poured in-streams.
Common Mistakes
Adding ar to kājām for on foot.
Es eju uz darbu ar kājām.Es eju uz darbu kājām.To say on foot, Latvian uses kājām alone. It works like an adverb, so no ar is needed.
Putting the describing words in the nominative.
Durvīs stāvēja meitene zilas acis.Durvīs stāvēja meitene zilām acīm.A feature added after a noun is in the instrumental plural: zilām acīm. The nominative zilas acis cannot describe meitene.
Leaving out the adjective in a description.
Tur sēdēja vīrietis matiem.Tur sēdēja vīrietis gariem matiem.A describing instrumental needs a describing word, usually an adjective, that gives the new information: gariem matiem (with long hair).
How It Connects
Learn This First
The instrumental can appear without ar.
Related Patterns
- Plural Nouns After Prepositions
The plural instrumental has the same endings as the dative plural.
Level 2 - Describing With a Genitive Phrase
Gaišu matu meitene describes with a genitive before the noun; meitene gaišiem matiem uses the instrumental after it.
Level 5 - Adverbs in -ām
Kājām now works as an adverb, like pamazām and lēnām, which are also traces of old case forms.
Level 6 - How Long and How Often
Visu nedēļu gives an exact length; nedēļām ilgi means for weeks and weeks.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice The Instrumental Without ar in Bubblegum
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