Polish instrumental case exercises

When to use the instrumental (Narzędnik)

“With” and “by means of”: company, transport, a profession after “to be” or “to become”, and the position prepositions (above, under, in front of) when nothing moves.

Question: kim? czym?

• 'interesować się' always takes the instrumental.

  Interesuję się muzyką.

  I'm interested in music.

• 'zajmować się' always takes the instrumental.

  Zajmuję się sportem.

  I work in sport.

• 'z' meaning 'together with' takes the instrumental.

  Rozmawiam z ojcem.

  I'm talking with my father.

• The means of transport takes the bare instrumental.

  Jadę samochodem.

  I'm taking the car.

• A profession after 'być' takes the instrumental.

  On jest studentem.

  He is a student.

• After 'zostać' (to become) a profession takes the instrumental.

  Chcę zostać nauczycielem.

  I want to become a teacher.

• 'nad' (above) takes the instrumental.

  Obraz wisi nad stołem.

  The picture hangs above the table.

• 'pod' (under) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.

  Kot śpi pod łóżkiem.

  The cat sleeps under the bed.

• 'opiekować się' always takes the instrumental.

  Opiekuję się matką.

  I take care of my mother.

• 'przed' (in front of) takes the instrumental.

  Spotkajmy się przed szkołą.

  Let's meet in front of the school.

• 'z' meaning 'with' takes the instrumental.

  Coś jest nie tak z telefonem.

  Something is wrong with the phone.

• 'nad' meaning 'on (a task)' takes the instrumental.

  Pracuję nad książką.

  I'm working on the book.

• 'nad' (by the water) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.

  Mieszkam nad morzem.

  I live by the sea.

• A profession or nationality after 'być' takes the instrumental.

  Ona jest Polką.

  She is a Polish woman.

• 'za' (behind) takes the instrumental when there is no movement.

  Za domem jest ogród.

  Behind the house there's a garden.

• 'przed' (before) takes the instrumental.

  Myję ręce przed śniadaniem.

  I wash my hands before breakfast.

• 'zgadzać się z' (to agree with) takes the instrumental.

  Zgadzam się z mamą.

  I agree with my mum.

• 'tęsknić za' (to miss) takes the instrumental.

  Tęsknię za rodziną.

  I miss my family.

• 'między' (between) takes the instrumental.

  Między szafą a oknem stoi krzesło.

  There's a chair between the wardrobe and the window.

• 'pachnieć' (to smell of) takes the instrumental.

  Tu pachnie kawą.

  It smells of coffee here.

• 'dzielić się' (to share) takes the instrumental of what is shared.

  Dzielę się jabłkiem z bratem.

  I share the apple with my brother.

• 'nad' (above, over) takes the instrumental.

  Nad miastem lata dużo ptaków.

  Lots of birds fly over the city.

• 'zachwycać się' (to be captivated by) takes the instrumental.

  Zachwycam się literaturą.

  I'm captivated by literature.

• 'mieć do czynienia z' (to deal with) takes the instrumental.

  W pracy mam do czynienia z dziećmi.

  At work I deal with children.

• 'kontaktować się z' (to get in touch with) takes the instrumental.

  Kontaktuję się z lekarzem.

  I'm getting in touch with the doctor.

Instrumental endings

The instrumental next to the nominative for five model nouns, one for each set of endings: masculine personal, masculine animate, masculine inanimate, feminine and neuter.

How these exercises work

• Each question is a real Polish sentence with a gap, and its English meaning above it.
• Choose the answer, or switch to Type to write it yourself (the Polish letters are on buttons under the gap).
• After every answer you see the right form, the full sentence and the rule behind it.
• Rounds of ten, as many as you like, with new sentences each time. Free, with no sign-up.
• The full rules for every case are in the cases guide.