Assigning Roles: The Instrumental Case
When you talk about naming someone, giving them a title, or appointing them to a new position, Polish uses a very specific sentence structure. The person receiving the title is the direct object and takes the Accusative case. However, the new role, title, or designation they are given takes the Instrumental case.
You will see this pattern frequently with verbs like nazwać (to call or name) and okrzyknąć (to proclaim).
| She called him a hero. | Nazwała go bohaterem. |
| They proclaimed him the biggest winner of the tournament. | Okrzyknęli go największym zwycięzcą turnieju. |
Official Appointments and Designations
This same grammatical rule applies when discussing official promotions and designations in a workplace, military, or government setting. When using verbs like wyznaczyć (to designate), mianować (to appoint), or ustanowić (to establish or appoint), the newly assigned rank or position must be in the Instrumental case.
| The president officially designated him the new commander. | Prezydent oficjalnie wyznaczył go nowym dowódcą. |
| The boss appointed me vice president yesterday. | Szef mianował mnie wczoraj wiceprezesem. |
| The king established his son as his successor. | Król ustanowił syna swoim następcą. |
Electing and Making
The Instrumental case is also required for the assigned role when you use verbs that mean "to elect" (wybrać) or "to make" someone into something (zrobić). The logic remains exactly the same: the person being elected or made is in the Accusative, and the position they assume is in the Instrumental.
| They made my brother the manager. | Zrobili mojego brata kierownikiem. |
| The board unanimously elected him vice president. | Zarząd jednogłośnie wybrał go wiceprezesem. |