Lesson 14.Instrumental Case

Lesson Goals

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Understand the functions of the Instrumental case in Serbian
• Recognize instrumental endings for singular and plural nouns
• Use instrumental for means, accompaniment, and time expressions
• Combine instrumental with common prepositions

1. Function of the Instrumental

The instrumental case is used for:

1. Means / instrument — “with what” something is done
2. Accompaniment — “with whom” you are doing something
3. Certain time expressions — “in” or “during” a season, part of the day
4. After some prepositions

Questions: s kim? (with whom?) / s čim? (with what?)

Examples:

• Pišem olovkom. — I am writing with a pen. (means)
• Idem s prijateljem. — I am going with a friend. (accompaniment)
• Zimi je hladno. — It’s cold in winter. (time)

2. Instrumental Endings – Singular

3. Instrumental Endings – Plural

4. Common Prepositions with Instrumental

• s(a) (with) — Idem sa sestrom. (I’m going with my sister.)
• pred (in front of) — Stojim pred kućom. (I’m standing in front of the house.)
• za (behind, during meals) — Sedimo za stolom. (We are sitting at the table.)
• nad (above) — Avion leti nad gradom. (The plane flies over the city.)
• pod (under) — Pas spava pod stolom. (The dog sleeps under the table.)

5. Instrumental Without Prepositions

Used alone to express:

• Means: Putujem vozom. (I travel by train.)
• Time: Letom je toplo. (It’s warm in summer.)

6. Mini Dialogue (Grammar Focus)

Ana: S kim ideš na koncert?

(With whom are you going to the concert?)

Marko: Idem sa drugom.

(I’m going with a friend.)

Ana: Putuješ li vozom?

(Are you traveling by train?)

Marko: Ne, idem autom.

(No, I’m going by car.)

7. Vocabulary for This Lesson

8. Practice

A. Change to instrumental form:

1. prijatelj → ________
2. škola → ________
3. selo (plural) → ________

B. Translate:

4. I am writing with a pen.

5. We are sitting at the table.