su + instrumental
With: Su
Su (with) is always followed by the instrumental: su draugu (with a friend), su mama (with Mom), su manimi (with me).
How It Works
1. Company. Einu į kiną su draugu (I am going to the cinema with a friend), Gyvenu su tėvais (I live with my parents), Kalbėjau su mokytoja (I spoke with the teacher).
2. Things that go together. kava su pienu (coffee with milk), mergaitė su akiniais (a girl with glasses), butas su balkonu (a flat with a balcony).
3. Manner. A few set phrases say how something is done: su malonumu (with pleasure), su džiaugsmu (with joy).
4. Pronouns after su. su manimi, su tavimi, su juo, su ja, su mumis, su jumis, su jais, su jomis. In speech, su manim and su tavim are common short forms.
5. Endings to watch. Common masculine noun endings are -u or -iu (draugu, broliu). Feminine nouns in -a look the same as the nominative in writing (su mama, su mokytoja), and nouns in -ė end in -e (su Egle). Common plural endings are -ais, -omis or -ėmis (su tėvais, su draugėmis).
6. Related patterns. Mes su broliu means my brother and I (see mes su). Wishes such as Su gimtadieniu! also use su. For tools and transport, the instrumental alone is the usual choice: važiuoju autobusu (see the instrumental of means).
Examples (6)
- Einu į kiną su draugu.
I'm going to the cinema with a friend.
Draugas → draugu after su.
- Geriu kavą su pienu.
I drink coffee with milk.
Pienas → pienu.
- Su kuo gyveni? — Su tėvais.
Who do you live with? — With my parents.
Word by Word: With whom you-live? — With parents.
Kuo is the instrumental of kas. Tėvai → tėvais.
- Ar eisi su manimi?
Will you come with me?
Manimi is the instrumental of aš.
- Vakar kalbėjau su mokytoja.
Yesterday I spoke with the teacher.
Mokytoja is spelled the same in the instrumental, but su tells you the case.
- Su malonumu!
With pleasure!
A set phrase with su for manner.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the noun in the nominative after su.
Einu su draugas.Einu su draugu.Su always takes the instrumental: draugas → draugu.
Using the nominative pronoun after su.
Ar eisi su aš?Ar eisi su manimi?After su, the pronoun must be instrumental: aš → manimi, tu → tavimi.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Su selects the instrumental of someone or something accompanying another.
Related Patterns
- mes su + instrumentalWe with Su: Me and Someone
Mes su broliu means my brother and I.
Level 3 - be + genitiveWithout with Be
Be (without) is the opposite of su.
Level 2 - Personal Pronoun Case Forms
Lists the instrumental pronouns manimi and tavimi.
Level 2 - su gimtadieniuHoliday Wishes with Su
Holiday wishes that use su.
Level 2 - Doing Things to Each Other
Susitikti su means to meet with someone.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice su + instrumental in Bubblegum
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