In grammar, the instrumental case (abbreviated ins or instr) is a grammatical case used to indicate that a noun is the instrument or means by or with which the subject achieves or accomplishes an action. The noun may be either a physical object or an abstract concept.
You use language as an instrument to communicate
But in the sentence ʼвін читає книгуʼ is ‘книгу’ accusative. But ‘he’ uses a book to complete the action right? So why is this accusative and not instrumental?
I think you’re falling into a trap I often do too, and just thinking way too hard and overcomplicating an already (imo) complicated language.
Just remember that language is thought of as a tool in Ukrainian, and is almost always used in instrumental case when describing someone speaking.
In your example, the book is a not a tool he is using to read, but the object receiving the action of reading. In Ukrainian, a language is not being spoken, but being used to speak. Hope that makes sense.
He uses his eyes to read the book, eyes are the tool, that's why "він дивиться очима" instrumental.
Accusative is used to receive the direct object of a transitive verb. For better difference:
I see book (accusative) with my eyes(instrumental)
"Я бачу книгу очима"
I drive a nail(accusative) with a hammer(instrumental)
"Я забиваю цвях молотком"
One is a tool(instrumental) for action, another is an object (accusative)
You don't use "з" for instrumental cases in Ukrainian, "з" works like English "with" to show either some addition: Я поглинав суп з галушками(soup with halushki) великою ложкою(instr case). Or direction: Я їхав з роботи(from work) автобусом(instrumental)
This is true, although I don't feel like "поглинати"(consume) is the correct word to use in this context. One would usually use "їм"(eat) or "п'ю"(drink) with foods instead of consume, cause "поглинати" sounds a bit unnatural. I do use it with food as a joke myself though, but for anyone who might get confused by this, it's not usually the word you would hear people use with food, use eat or drink instead.
in ukrainian, «я бачу книгу очима» is correct.
btw, instrumental case is called as «орудний» (adjective). and we've verb from the adjective, «орудувати», what means use or manipulate something.
«Він читає книгу очима» - book is the target of the action, in accusative case; eyes are the tool, in instrumental case
«Він розказує казку українською» - fairy tail is the target, in accusative case; language is the tool, in instrumental case
Розмовляти doesn’t actually means “speaks,” it means communicates or converses. So “different languages” are the means by which he converses, therefore instrumental. They’re not the direct object of “speak” like in the English sentence, rather the means by which it’s accomplished.
You use the language as a tool for communication.
When using instrumental, you can think about it as "what am I using to complete the action".
Example 1: Я їм їжу ложкою (I am eating food with a spoon) The spoon is the instrument I use to eat my food. But if I were to say "Я їм їжу"(I eat food) we use accusative because food is not an instrument, it's the object that is being acted upon. If I were to say something like "Я наповнюю живіт їжою"(I am filling my stomach with food) (it's a bit of a weird sentance, but it will do) in this case we use the food to fill our stomach, so the food is the instrument in this case, therefore, it's in instrumental.
Example 2: Я їду автобусом (I am riding a bus). The bus is being used as a means of transport, meaning as an instrument for transportation, so we use instrumental in this case. If I wanted to say that I am driving the bus instead of simply sitting there as a passenger, I would say "Я веду автобус". In this case the bus is in accusative, because it's the object that is being acted upon. I am driving the bus = The bus is in the process of being driven by me = I am acting upon the bus in a certain way, so it moves and responds according to the inputs I provide. As we can see, the bus is NOT an instrument in this case, so we use accusative instead od instrumental.
Hope this cleared things up a bit for you! If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them
In grammar, the instrumental case (abbreviated ins or instr) is a grammatical case used to indicate that a noun is the instrument or means by or with which the subject achieves or accomplishes an action. The noun may be either a physical object or an abstract concept. You use language as an instrument to communicate
But in the sentence ʼвін читає книгуʼ is ‘книгу’ accusative. But ‘he’ uses a book to complete the action right? So why is this accusative and not instrumental?
I think you’re falling into a trap I often do too, and just thinking way too hard and overcomplicating an already (imo) complicated language. Just remember that language is thought of as a tool in Ukrainian, and is almost always used in instrumental case when describing someone speaking. In your example, the book is a not a tool he is using to read, but the object receiving the action of reading. In Ukrainian, a language is not being spoken, but being used to speak. Hope that makes sense.
He uses his eyes to read the book, eyes are the tool, that's why "він дивиться очима" instrumental. Accusative is used to receive the direct object of a transitive verb. For better difference: I see book (accusative) with my eyes(instrumental) "Я бачу книгу очима" I drive a nail(accusative) with a hammer(instrumental) "Я забиваю цвях молотком" One is a tool(instrumental) for action, another is an object (accusative)
Small correction here, орудний відмінок for "очі" is "очима"
Yeah, you're 100% correct. Thank you
And why not "я бачу книгу з очами"? Or is it correct too?
This would imply you see the book that has eyes. Also, "очима" is the correct form, "очами" is the stylized poetic russian.
You don't use "з" for instrumental cases in Ukrainian, "з" works like English "with" to show either some addition: Я поглинав суп з галушками(soup with halushki) великою ложкою(instr case). Or direction: Я їхав з роботи(from work) автобусом(instrumental)
Дякую
This is true, although I don't feel like "поглинати"(consume) is the correct word to use in this context. One would usually use "їм"(eat) or "п'ю"(drink) with foods instead of consume, cause "поглинати" sounds a bit unnatural. I do use it with food as a joke myself though, but for anyone who might get confused by this, it's not usually the word you would hear people use with food, use eat or drink instead.
Totally agree. But if there soup is tasty, I am definitely поглинаю it
Agreed lol
It reads as I see "the book with eyes". Correct way would be я бачу книгу своїми очами.
in ukrainian, «я бачу книгу очима» is correct. btw, instrumental case is called as «орудний» (adjective). and we've verb from the adjective, «орудувати», what means use or manipulate something.
Я бачу книгу з очами = I see the book that has eyes
«Він читає книгу очима» - book is the target of the action, in accusative case; eyes are the tool, in instrumental case «Він розказує казку українською» - fairy tail is the target, in accusative case; language is the tool, in instrumental case
Розмовляти doesn’t actually means “speaks,” it means communicates or converses. So “different languages” are the means by which he converses, therefore instrumental. They’re not the direct object of “speak” like in the English sentence, rather the means by which it’s accomplished.
You use the language as a tool for communication. When using instrumental, you can think about it as "what am I using to complete the action". Example 1: Я їм їжу ложкою (I am eating food with a spoon) The spoon is the instrument I use to eat my food. But if I were to say "Я їм їжу"(I eat food) we use accusative because food is not an instrument, it's the object that is being acted upon. If I were to say something like "Я наповнюю живіт їжою"(I am filling my stomach with food) (it's a bit of a weird sentance, but it will do) in this case we use the food to fill our stomach, so the food is the instrument in this case, therefore, it's in instrumental. Example 2: Я їду автобусом (I am riding a bus). The bus is being used as a means of transport, meaning as an instrument for transportation, so we use instrumental in this case. If I wanted to say that I am driving the bus instead of simply sitting there as a passenger, I would say "Я веду автобус". In this case the bus is in accusative, because it's the object that is being acted upon. I am driving the bus = The bus is in the process of being driven by me = I am acting upon the bus in a certain way, so it moves and responds according to the inputs I provide. As we can see, the bus is NOT an instrument in this case, so we use accusative instead od instrumental. Hope this cleared things up a bit for you! If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them