How to Use the Instrumental Case in Hungarian for English Speakers

Understanding the Instrumental Case in Hungarian

The instrumental case in Hungarian is used to indicate the means or instrument by which an action is performed. It answers the question "with what?" or "by what means?" in English. This case is essential for expressing how something is done, often translated as "with" or "by" in English.

Forming the Instrumental Case

In Hungarian, the instrumental case is formed by adding the suffix -val or -vel to the noun. The choice between -val and -vel depends on vowel harmony rules:

• Use -val after back vowels (a, á, o, ó, u, ú).
• Use -vel after front vowels (e, é, i, í, ö, ő, ü, ű).

If the noun ends with a vowel, the suffix is attached directly. If it ends with a consonant, a linking vowel -a- or -e- is inserted before the suffix, following vowel harmony.

Examples of the Instrumental Case

Here are some examples to illustrate the instrumental case in Hungarian:

• kés (knife) → késsel (with a knife)
• toll (pen) → tollal (with a pen)
• autó (car) → autóval (by car)
• barát (friend) → baráttal (with a friend)

Using the Instrumental Case in Sentences

The instrumental case is commonly used to describe the tool or means used to perform an action. For example:

• Késsel vágom a kenyeret. – I cut the bread with a knife.
• Autóval megyek dolgozni. – I go to work by car.
• Baráttal beszélgetek. – I am talking with a friend.

Differences from English Usage

While English uses prepositions like "with" or "by" to express the instrumental meaning, Hungarian expresses this by changing the noun's ending. This makes the instrumental case a suffix rather than a separate word.

Practice Phrases with the Instrumental Case