liyojasu yimuha qudi gopamos qira tobecuk

In the Serbian language, the instrumental case is one of the seven grammatical cases used to indicate the means or instrument by which an action is performed. It answers the questions "with whom?" (s kim?) and "with what?" (s čim?). The instrumental case is also used to denote accompaniment, manner, and sometimes time.

Formation of the Instrumental Case

The instrumental case in Serbian is formed by adding specific endings to the noun, depending on its gender and number. Here are the general rules:

• Masculine Singular: For most masculine nouns, the instrumental case is formed by adding "-om" to the noun. For example, "pas" (dog) becomes "psom" (with a dog).
• Feminine Singular: For feminine nouns, the ending "-om" is also used, but the final "a" of the noun is dropped. For example, "mačka" (cat) becomes "mačkom" (with a cat).
• Neuter Singular: Neuter nouns typically take the ending "-om". For example, "selo" (village) becomes "selom" (with a village).
• Plural for All Genders: The instrumental plural is generally formed by adding "-ima" to the noun. For example, "psi" (dogs) becomes "psima" (with dogs), "mačke" (cats) becomes "mačkama" (with cats), and "sela" (villages) becomes "selima" (with villages).

Usage of the Instrumental Case

1. Means or Instrument: The instrumental case is used to indicate the means by which an action is performed. For example:

   • "Pišem olovkom." (I write with a pencil.)
   • "Putujemo vozom." (We travel by train.)

2. Accompaniment: It is used to denote accompaniment, often with the preposition "s" (with). For example:

   • "Idem s prijateljem." (I am going with a friend.)
   • "Šetamo s psom." (We are walking with the dog.)

3. Manner: The instrumental case can describe the manner in which something is done. For example:

   • "Govorim ozbiljnošću." (I speak with seriousness.)
   • "Radi pažljivošću." (He works with care.)

4. Time: Occasionally, the instrumental case is used to indicate time, particularly in expressions of seasons or parts of the day. For example:

   • "Zimom je hladno." (It is cold in winter.)
   • "Jutrom je mirno." (It is calm in the morning.)

Examples in Sentences

• "On je došao s knjigom." (He came with a book.)
• "Ona piše perom." (She writes with a pen.)
• "Razgovaramo s učiteljem." (We are talking with the teacher.)
• "Putujem avionom." (I am traveling by plane.)