The Instrumental Case with "być"
When using the verb być (to be) to state someone's profession, nationality, or identity, the noun that follows takes the Instrumental case.
When asking about someone's identity or profession, the question word kto (who) changes to its Instrumental form: kim.
| Who is this woman? She is a waitress. | Kim jest ta kobieta? Jest kelnerką. |
Forming the Instrumental Singular
To form the Instrumental singular, look at the noun's final letter:
| Noun Ending | Instrumental Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Most consonants | -em | student → studentem |
| -k or -g | -iem | Polak → Polakiem |
| -a | -ą | Polka → Polką |
Nouns Ending in a Consonant
Masculine nouns ending in a consonant take -em.
| I am a student (m). | Jestem studentem. |
| My brother is not an engineer. | Mój brat nie jest inżynierem. |
If the noun ends in -k or -g, it takes -iem instead.
| He is Polish and works in an office. | On jest Polakiem i pracuje w biurze. |
Nouns Ending in -a
For nouns ending in -a (including most feminine professions and nationalities), the final -a changes to -ą.
| Is your sister a student? | Czy twoja siostra jest studentką? |
| Are you Polish, madam? | Czy pani jest Polką? |
This rule applies to any noun ending in -a, regardless of gender. For example, kierowca (driver) refers to a man, but because it ends in -a, it declines with -ą.
| My son is a driver. | Mój syn jest kierowcą. |
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