Today’s post is loaded. We’re going over all the prepositions requiring the instrumental case.
This post will contain an explanation of prepositions and plenty of examples, so you can see them properly used in context.
This is very key in learning how to properly use prepositions. Even though they are tiny, they have a multitude of meanings.
For some prepositions, you’ll see the letter о in parentheses. For such prepositions, this letter is inserted if they precede a consonant cluster.
| с(о) [with -accompaniment-] |
Из России с любовью.
From Russia with love.
This preposition can also be used with the genitive case. And when used with this case, it changes meaning. In this post, we’ll only be focusing on its meaning(s) in the instrumental.
When translating with into Russian, be careful! Whenever some kind of instrument, item is used to carry out an action, there is no need for a preposition, unlike in English. You simply put the item in the instrumental case.
Она фотографирует достопримечательности смартфоном.
She takes photos of the sights with her smart phone.
[она фотографирует чем?]
Вячеслав ест борщ ложкой.
Vyecheslav is eating borscht with a spoon.
[он ест чем?]
Руслан урадил мяч ногой.
Ruslan kicked the ball. [lit. hit the ball with his foot]
[он ударил чем?]
All these actions were performed with the help of some sort of instrument. And it can be anything: a cell phone, a spoon, a body part, etc.
Я беру с собой немного денег, когда иду на рынок.
I take some money with me when I go to the market.
Она работает вместе с ним над проектом.
She’s working with him on the project.
These examples both include accompaniment. The money is accompanying me, and the two accompany each other on the project.
| под(о) [under] |
This preposition can also be used with the accusative case. And when used with this case, it changes meaning. In this post, we’ll only be focusing on its meanings in the instrumental.
Дышать под водой невозможно для человека.
Breathing underwater is impossible for a human.
Под столом спит наша собака.
Our dog is sleeping under the table.
Подо льдом есть озеро.
There’s a lake under the ice.
| над(о) [over, above] |
Над его кроватью висит афиша Бритни Спирса.
A poster of Britney Spears hangs over his bed.
Звёзды блестят над городом этим вечером.
The stars are sparkling over the city tonight.
Хватит надо мной смеяться!
Stop laughing at me!
| между [between; among -certain contexts-] |
Между почтой и банком есть обувной магазин.
There is a shoe store between the post office and the bank.
Я сидел между Павлом и Марией.
I was sitting between Pavel and Maria.
Конфеты надо разделить поровну между учениками.
The candy must be divided equally among the students.
As one would expect, it can be used in relation to time and space.
Гости придут между семью и восемью часами.
The guests will arrive between seven and eight o’clock.
Here’s a useful expression [между прочим] meaning by the way.
Между прочим, вчера по пути домой я встретил твою маму.
By the way, yesterday on the way home, I ran into your mom.
Another useful expression [между тем] meaning in the meantime.
Между тем я буду работать над проектом.
In the meantime, I’ll be working on the project.
| за [behind -no motion-; beyond; during, at, over -some type of event-] |
| This preposition can also be used with the accusative case. And when used with this case, it changes meaning. In this post, we’ll only be focusing on its meaning(s) in the instrumental. |
| За деревом стоял один страшный мужчина. A scary man stood behind the tree. |
| Я сходил в магазин за молоком и сахаром. I went to the store for some milk and sugar. |
| Максиму нравится бегать за красивыми девушками. Maksim likes running after [pursuing] pretty girls. |
| Папа тихо читает газету за завтраком. Dad quietly reads the newspaper at (or: during) breakfast. |
| Алексей всю ночь сидит за компьютером. Aleksey has been on the computer all night. (lit: sitting behind) |
| Удивительно, что Богдан ни разу не бывал за границей. It’s surprising that Bogdan hasn’t even once been abroad. (lit. beyond the border) |
| перед(о) [in front of; before -referencing time-] |
| Он был в Украине в отпуске перед войной. He was in Ukraine on vacation before the war. |
| Перед нашим домом есть розовые кусты. There are rosebushes in front of our house. |
| Передо мной сидела женщина с жёлтой шляпой. A woman with a yellow hat was sitting in front of me. |
And there you have it! We looked over all the prepositions used with the instrumental case. Quizzes will come soon!
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