When c[s] means “from” or “since” it is followed by the genitive case instead!
The instrumental case: How to form and use it in Russian?
By: Aleks Novikov Tue Sep 23 2025
In Russian, the instrumental case is classically used to describe a tool (or “instrument”) that was used to complete some action. For example:
instrumental case
Я всегда хотел, но боялся прыгать с парашютом.
ya fsigDA khaTYEL no baYAlsya PRYgat s paraSHOOtam
I always wanted to but was afraid to jump with a parachute.
However, like all Russian cases, the instrumental case is required in other situations as well. For example, it is used in passive sentences, for nouns that would follow “by” in English:
instrumental case
Эти задачи исследованы многими авторами.
Eti zaDAchi isLYEdavany MNOgimi Aftarami
These problems have been studied by many authors.
In this post, we’ll quickly go through how to form the instrumental case in Russian, and then we’ll cover how and when to use this case in Russian. Ready to have a look? Let’s dive in!
How to form the instrumental case in Russian?
In Russian, nouns and adjectives in the instrumental case typically take the following endings:
Nouns: Instrumental case | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Category | Ending(s) | Example | Translation |
Masculine & neuter | -ом | вид → с видом vit → s viDAM | view → with a view |
-ем/ём | название → под названием nazVAniye → pad nazVAniyem | title → under the title | |
Feminine | -ой | жена → с женой zhiNA → s zhiNOY | wife → with the wife |
-ей/ёй | граница → за границей graNEEtsa → za graNEEtsey | border → overseas | |
-ю (rare) | цель → с целью tsel → s TSYELyu | goal → with the goal | |
Plural | -ами | ноги → под ногами NOgi → pad naGAmi | feet → under the feet |
-ями | друзья → с друзьями drooZYA → s drooZYAmi | friends → with friends | |
Adjectives: Instrumental case | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Category | Ending(s) | Example | Translation |
Masculine & neuter | -ым | круглый → круглым KROOglyi → KROOglym | round |
-им | большой → большим balSHOY → balSHEEM | big, great | |
Feminine | -ой | чистая → чистой CHEEstaya → CHIstay | clear |
-ей | божья → божьей BOzhya → BOzhyey | God’s | |
Plural | -ыми | пустые → пустыми poosTYye → poosTYmi | empty |
-ими | короткие → короткими kaROTkiye → kaROTkimi | short | |
For several more examples, download the instrumental case ending chart at the bottom of this page!
When to use the instrumental case in Russian?
Broadly, we use the instrumental case to describe the instrument or method used to accomplish an action. Most classically, this instrument is a tool, but it can also be more abstract. The major uses of the instrumental case in Russian are:
With the preposition c[s](with)
After certain verbs
In passive sentences
In vaguely large measurements (e.g. “by the handful” or “for years”)
After a few other prepositions
To answer “when?” with a general time of day (“morning”) or season (“winter”)
To give other methods or means of doing something (e.g. “by bus”)
Let’s look more closely at each of these uses!
When to use the instrumental case with с (s, “with”)?
In Russian, we use the instrumental case after the preposition c[s] whenever it translates to “with.” This classically applies to cases where you do something “with” a tool, as we saw in the introduction, but also applies in other cases where c[s] means “with.” For example:
instrumental case
А мне нравится моцарелла с помидорами и базиликом.
a mnye NRAvitsa matsaREla s pamiDOrami ee baziLEEkam
And I like mozzarella with tomatoes and basil.
Поехали с нами.
paYEkhali s NAmi
Come with us.
Important
Here are a few cases where you’ll use c to mean “with” in Russian, even though in English we phrase it differently.
When you wish someone a happy holiday or happy birthday, Russians say:
c
name of the holiday
(instrumental)
С Новым годом!
s NOvym GOdam
Happy New Year!
lit. With the New Year!
That might sound a bit odd but there is a good reason for it: It’s a shortened version of поздравлять с[pazdravLYAT s](congratulations on).
Where you might say “my friend and I” in English, you’ll use c in Russian, like this:
мы с друзьями
my s drooZYAmi
my friends and I
lit. we with my friends
мы с подругой
my s padROOgay
my (female) friend and I
lit. we with my female friend
Tip
In Russian, you’ll also use c in some fixed expressions like:
с уважением
s oovaZHYEniyem
with respect
→ before a signature
с удовольствием
s oodaVOLstviyem
with pleasure
→ to accept
с радостью
s radasTYU
with joy
→ to accept
Which Russian verbs take the instrumental case?
In Russian, verbs from a few different categories may take objects in the instrumental case.
Verbs that are used when talking about interests or hobbies, like:
интересоваться[intirisaVAtsa](to be interested in)
заниматься[zaniMAtsa](to do)
увлекаться[oovliKAtsa](to be keen on/to be into)
For example:
instrumental caseОна интересуется датским языком.
aNA intiriSOOyetsa DAtskim yazyKOM
She is interested in the Danish language.
Он по-прежнему занимается музыкой.
on pa PRYEZHnimoo zaniMAyetsa MOOzykay
He is still doing music.
Verbs that introduce professions or occupations, such as:
стать[stat](to become)
быть[byt](to be)
работать[raBOtat](to work (as))
For example:
instrumental caseМоя подруга работает воспитателем в детском саду.
maYA padROOga raBOtayet vaspiTAtilyem v DYETskam saDOO
My (female) friend works as a teacher of kindergarteners.
Светлана Алексиевич в 2015 году стала нобелевским лауреатом.
svitLAna aliksiYEvich v dvye TYsichi pitNAtsatam gaDOO STAla NObilifskim laooriAtam
Svetlana Aleksievich became a Nobel laureate in 2015.
Verbs that introduce sicknesses, such as:
болеть[baLYET](to be sick)
страдать[straDAT](to suffer from)
For example:
instrumental caseМы с ребёнком болели гриппом целую неделю.
my s riBYOnkam baLYEli GRIpam TSYElooyu niDYElyu
My son and I had the flu for a whole week.
A few linking verbs, such as:
являться[ivLYAtsa](to be) → formal
казаться[kaZAtsa](to seem/to appear)
For example:
instrumental caseВ настоящее время я являюсь студентом первого курса Института культуры.
v nastaYAshchiye VRYEmya ya yivLYAyus stooDYEntam PYERvava KOOrsa instiTOOta koolTOOry
I am currently a first-year student at the Institute of Culture.
Сейчас это кажется смешным.
siCHAS Eta KAzhetsa smishNYM
Now this seems ridiculous.
Verbs where c[s](with) is implied. Some of these are verbs you would translate using “with” in English, but not all. For example:
instrumental caseВсё порезать, заправить майонезом и перемешать.
fsyo paRYEzat zapRAvit maeeNEzam ee pirimiSHAT
Cut everything, dress (with) mayonnaise and mix.
Сковородку слегка смазать маслом.
skavaROtkoo slikhKA SMAzat MAslam
Grease the pan lightly (with) oil.
Закрыть крышкой и тушить 20 минут.
zakRYT KRYshkay ee tooSHYT DVAtsat miNOOT
Close (with) the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
How to use the instrumental case with the passive voice?
The instrumental is used in Russian passive sentences for the noun that would follow “by” in English. Notice that in Russian, no preposition is needed.
instrumental case
Эти задачи исследованы многими авторами.
Eti zaDAchi isLYEdavany MNOgimi Aftarami
These problems have been studied by many authors.
Развитие информационного общества характеризуется несколькими критериями.
razVEEtiye infarmatsiONnava OPshchistva kharaktiriZOOyetsa NYEskalkimi kriTEriyami
The development of the information society is characterized by several criteria.
Check out our post on the Russian passive voice to learn more!
When to use the instrumental case in Russian measurements?
In Russian, the instrumental case is commonly used in measurements that are used to imply a vague but large amount of something (including time). Some common instrumental measurements include:
годами[gaDAmi](for years)
месяцами[misiTSAmi](for months)
часами[chiSAmi](for hours)
Here are some examples illustrating how to use such measurements in a sentence. Note that no preposition is required in Russian!
instrumental case
Россияне скупают сахар и гречку мешками.
rasiYAnye skooPAyut SAkhar ee GRYEchkoo mishKAmi
Russians are buying sugar and buckwheat by the bagful (in large quantities).
Они могли часами гулять по парку.
aNEE magLEE chiSAmi gooLYAt pa PArkoo
They could walk in the park for hours.
Which Russian prepositions take the instrumental case?
In addition to c[s](with), which we discussed above, a few other Russian prepositions are commonly followed by the instrumental case, when they indicate direction or location. These include:
над[nat](above)
под[pot](under)
за[za](behind, after, over)
перед[PYErit](in front of)
между[MYEzhdoo](between)
For example:
instrumental case
Они остались без крыши над головой.
aNEE asTAlis bis KRYshi nad galaVOY
They were left without a roof over their heads.
Не путайся под ногами.
ni POOtaysya pad naGAmi
Don’t get under foot (lit. feet)!
Я сейчас за рулём.
ya siCHAS za rooLYOM
I’m driving right now.
lit. I’m behind the wheel right now.
Tip
For more on the use of these prepositions, check out our posts on Russian prepositions of place and Russian prepositions of direction.
When to use the instrumental case for seasons or times of day?
In Russian, we use the instrumental case when the question “when” is answered with a season, like “winter,” or a general time of day, like “the morning.” Notice that a preposition is generally not needed. For example:
instrumental case
И днём и ночью кот учёный всё ходит по цепи кругом.
ee dnyom ee NOchyu kot ooCHOnyi fsyo KHOdit PO tsipi krooGOM
And day and night the learned cat keeps walking around the chain.
→ a line from Pushkin's Ruslan and Ludmila
Мы летом ездим отдыхать в Турцию.
my LYETam YEzdim adyKHAT f TOOrtsiyu
In the summer we go on vacation to Turkey.
How to use the instrumental case for a method or means?
In Russian, you can also use the instrumental case for a noun describing the method or means by which some action was accomplished. For example:
instrumental case
Домой возвращались автобусом.
daMOY vazvraSHCHAlis afTOboosam
We (or they) were returning home by bus.
Картофель помыть, почистить и нарезать кубиками.
karTOfyel paMYT paCHEEstit ee paRYEzat KOObikami
Wash potatoes, peel and cut into cubes (dice).
Summary
In this post, we’ve covered how to form and use the instrumental case in Russian. Remember these main uses:
After the preposition c[s](with)
As the object of certain verbs
For the of a passive verb
For vague large measurements
After certain prepositions of place and direction
For seasons and times of day
For the method or means by which something is accomplished
Now, if you’re ready to practice using the instrumental case, check out these Russian instrumental case activities. Or, to practice further, download the activity sheet on the uses of c[s](with) in Russian. Happy learning!
