Instrumental Singular Endings
-om for masculine and neuter nouns, -ou for feminine nouns: s bratom, autom, so sestrou, s radosťou.
How It Works
Masculine: -om
- brat → bratom, otec → otcom, kolega → kolegom
- dom → domom, stôl → stolom, čaj → čajom
Neuter: -om
- auto → autom, mesto → mestom, more → morom, dievča → dievčaťom
- nouns in -ie take -ím: vysvedčenie → vysvedčením, námestie → námestím
Feminine: -ou
- sestra → sestrou, mama → mamou, ulica → ulicou
- kosť → kosťou, radosť → radosťou, jeseň → jeseňou
Stem changes. Some nouns lose a vowel or shorten it once an ending is added: otec → otcom, pes → psom, stôl → stolom. See Vowels That Come and Go.
Where it is used
- with s: s bratom. See With: s and so.
- alone, for a tool or vehicle: autom. See The Instrumental for Means.
- after position words: pred domom. See Above, Under, In Front, Behind and Between.
Examples (6)
- Idem do kina s bratom.
I'm going to the cinema with my brother.
- Do práce chodím autom.
I go to work by car.
Neuter auto takes -om.
- Často telefonujem so sestrou.
I often talk on the phone with my sister.
- S radosťou ti pomôžem.
I'll gladly help you.
radosť is feminine even though it ends in a consonant, so it takes -ou.
- Prosím si kávu s mliekom.
I'd like a coffee with milk, please.
- Pred domom stojí auto.
There's a car in front of the house.
Common Mistakes
Using the feminine ending for a masculine noun.
Idem do kina s bratou.Idem do kina s bratom.Brat is masculine, so it takes -om. The ending -ou is only for feminine nouns.
Using -om for a feminine noun that ends in a consonant.
Pomôžem ti s radosťom.Pomôžem ti s radosťou.Radosť is feminine, so it takes -ou, like other feminine nouns.
Leaving the noun in the nominative after s.
Idem s mama.Idem s mamou.S meaning with takes the instrumental: mama becomes mamou.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Instrumental Singular Endings, learn With: s and so. s / so already requires the instrumental; this teaches its endings.
Related Patterns
- The Instrumental for Means
The instrumental alone for tools and vehicles.
Level 2 - Pronouns After s and o
The pronoun forms: so mnou, s ním, s ňou.
Level 2 - nad / pod / pred / za / medzi + InstrumentalAbove, Under, In Front, Behind and Between
Position words that take the instrumental.
Level 3 - stať sa + InstrumentalBecoming Something
Becoming something: Stal sa lekárom.
Level 3 - Dative, Locative and Instrumental Plural
The plural endings -mi and -ami.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Instrumental Singular Endings in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Slovak lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
