How to Use the Instrumental Case for Means and Accompaniment in Latvian

Understanding the Instrumental Case in Latvian

The instrumental case in Latvian is used to express the means by which an action is performed or to indicate accompaniment. It answers the questions "with what?" or "by means of what?" and "with whom?" when referring to company or tools.

When to Use the Instrumental Case

In Latvian, the instrumental case is primarily used in two contexts: means (the tool or method used to do something) and accompaniment (the person or entity accompanying someone). Understanding these uses is essential for forming correct and natural sentences.

Expressing Means (Instrumental of Means)

To express the means by which an action is carried out, the instrumental case is used with nouns that represent tools, instruments, or methods.

• Es rakstu ar pildspalvu. (I write with a pen.)
• Viņš brauc ar automašīnu. (He drives by car.)
• Mēs sūtām vēstuli ar pastu. (We send a letter by mail.)

Notice that the preposition ar (with) is used before the noun in the instrumental case to indicate the means.

Expressing Accompaniment (Instrumental of Accompaniment)

The instrumental case also indicates accompaniment, showing with whom someone is doing something.

• Es eju uz kino ar draugu. (I am going to the cinema with a friend.)
• Viņa runā ar skolotāju. (She is talking with the teacher.)
• Mēs spēlējam futbolu ar brāļiem. (We play football with brothers.)

Again, the preposition ar is used to mark accompaniment, followed by the noun in the instrumental case.

Forming the Instrumental Case in Latvian

The instrumental case endings vary depending on the gender and declension of the noun. Here are some common patterns:

• Masculine nouns often add -u or -im endings.
• Feminine nouns often add -u or -i endings.
• Plural forms usually add -iem or -ām depending on gender.

For example, the masculine noun draugs (friend) becomes draugu in the instrumental singular, and the feminine noun skolotāja (female teacher) becomes skolotāju.

Examples of Instrumental Case Forms