A1 · The cases · about 7 minutes
The instrumental: z mamą, jestem lekarzem
the instrumental
With whom, with what, as what — one case for three English ideas.
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“New to me”: the explanation first, then practice. “Test myself”: 3 short questions – get at least two right and you go straight to the harder exercises.
Words you will need5
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- tramwajtram
- pociągtrain
- kanapkasandwich
- sercheese
- nauczycielteacher
Understand
RememberWith whom, with what, as what: instrumental — masculine -em, feminine -ą.
- Signal words
- z
- jestem
- jesteś
- jest
- jadę
The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Polish.
| masculine -em | brat → z bratem, lekarz → lekarzem, nauczyciel → nauczycielem |
| after k, g: -iem | Marek → z Markiem, mleko → z mlekiem |
| feminine -ą | mama → z mamą, cytryna → z cytryną, nauczycielka → nauczycielką |
| feminine in -ia, -i | Ania → z Anią, pani → z panią |
| means of transport | autobus → autobusem, pociąg → pociągiem, metro → metrem |
| after być | jestem nauczycielem, jestem nauczycielką |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
After z meaning “with” the instrumental follows.
Idę do kina z bratem.I am going to the cinema with my brother.
The means of transport is in the instrumental, with no preposition.
Jadę do pracy tramwajem.I go to work by tram.
A noun after być is in the instrumental.
Piotr jest lekarzem.Piotr is a doctor.
After to jest the nominative stays.
Pan Nowak? To jest nasz lekarz.Mr Nowak? He is our doctor.
After k and g the ending is -iem.
Piję herbatę z mlekiem.I drink tea with milk.
Example sentences
Mieszkam z siostrą.I live with my sister.
Kasia jest nauczycielką.Kasia is a teacher.
Jedziemy do Gdańska pociągiem.We are going to Gdańsk by train.
6 more example sentences
Poproszę kanapkę z serem.A cheese sandwich, please.
Marek jest studentem.Marek is a student.
Jestem Niemką.I am German. (a woman speaking)
Jeździsz do pracy rowerem?Do you cycle to work?
Rozmawiam z kolegą.I am talking to a colleague.
Lubię pierogi z mięsem.I like pierogi with meat.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English says “I am a teacher”, and translated word for word — without the article Polish does not have — that becomes the most common mistake: Jestem nauczyciel. In Polish być pulls the noun into the instrumental.
Quick check
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The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
The instrumental (narzędnik) answers z kim? and z czym? — with whom, with what. English uses “with” or “by” for this; Polish has a case of its own, with very regular endings: masculine and neuter -em, feminine -ą.
You need it in three situations. First, after z “with”: kawa z mlekiem, z Anią. Second, for the means of transport, with no preposition at all: jadę autobusem, “I am going by bus”. Third, after być, when you say what somebody is: Jestem nauczycielem, “I am a teacher”.
The third one is the surprise. English says “I am a teacher”, with an article and the plain noun. Polish has no article, and the noun goes into the instrumental as soon as it follows jestem, jesteś, jest. After to jest “this is”, on the other hand, it stays in the nominative: To jest lekarz.
After k and g, -em becomes -iem: Marek → z Markiem, mleko → z mlekiem, pociąg → pociągiem.
Worth knowing1
Worth knowing
Two kinds of “with”
Not every English “with” is a z. The tool you do something with stands in the instrumental with no preposition: piszę długopisem, “I write with a pen”. z means “together with”. Put z before the spoon and you are eating soup in the spoon’s company.
Jem zupę łyżką.I eat soup with a spoon.
The verbs on this page, in every form: być · jechać · iść · mieszkać · pić