Instrumental for Roles
A job or role after dirbti or tapti goes in the instrumental: Dirbu programuotoju (I work as a programmer).
How It Works
1. The verbs.
- dirbti (to work as): Ji dirba gydytoja.
- tapti (to become): Jis tapo mokytoju.
- būti in the future or with norėti: Kuo nori būti, kai užaugsi? (What do you want to be when you grow up?)
2. Kuo? Kuo is the instrumental of kas, so Kuo dirbi? means What do you work as?
3. Endings. mokytojas → mokytoju, vairuotojas → vairuotoju, gydytoja → gydytoja (written the same as the nominative), slaugė → slauge. Plural: Jie dirba mokytojais, Jos dirba mokytojomis.
4. Būti: nominative or instrumental?
- A plain identification with esu, esi, yra normally uses the nominative. Aš esu mokytojas.
- Future tense: the instrumental is common. Būsiu tavo gidu (I will be your guide).
- Past tense: the nominative is usual (Buvau pirmininkas). The instrumental is possible when the context stresses a temporary role: Dvejus metus buvau pirmininku (I was chairman for two years).
5. Nouns only. This pattern is for nouns. An adjective after tapti stays in the nominative: Oras tapo šaltas (The weather turned cold). With tapti, a noun in the nominative is also heard, but the instrumental is the usual choice.
6. Related patterns. Verbs of considering and calling use the same case for the role of someone else: Laikau jį draugu (I consider him a friend), see considering and calling. For the feminine and masculine job words, see studentas, studentė.
Examples (6)
- Ji dirba gydytoja.
She works as a doctor.
Word by Word: She works doctor.
Gydytoja is instrumental here, even though it looks like the nominative.
- Jis tapo mokytoju.
He became a teacher.
Mokytojas → mokytoju after tapti.
- Kuo dirbi? — Dirbu programuotoju.
What do you do for a living? — I work as a programmer.
Word by Word: As-what you-work? — I-work as-programmer.
Kuo asks for the role in the instrumental.
- Kuo nori būti, kai užaugsi?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A future role after būti is usually in the instrumental.
- Vasarą dirbau padavėja.
In summer I worked as a waitress.
Padavėja is instrumental here. Nouns in -a are spelled the same in both cases.
- Mano sesuo nori tapti aktore.
My sister wants to become an actress.
Aktorė → aktore.
Common Mistakes
Using the nominative after dirbti.
Jis dirba mokytojas.Jis dirba mokytoju.Dirbti names a role you work as, and that role is in the instrumental: mokytoju.
Putting an adjective in the instrumental after tapti.
Oras tapo šaltu.Oras tapo šaltas.The instrumental is for role nouns. An adjective after tapti stays in the nominative.
How It Connects
Learn This First
A role after verbs such as dirbti or tapti can use the instrumental.
Related Patterns
- laikyti / vadinti + instrumentalConsidering and Calling with the Instrumental
The same instrumental for how you consider or call someone.
Level 5 - Male and Female Person Nouns
Masculine and feminine job words.
Level 1 - būti: esu, esi, yraThe Verb Būti in the Present
The present forms of būti normally take the nominative for a plain identification.
Level 1 - Case Forms of kas
Shows kuo as the instrumental of kas.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Instrumental for Roles in Bubblegum
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