Pronouns: Instrumental Case

01

Forming the Instrumental Pronouns

Most pronouns change their stem before attaching से (se). Note that तुम (tum) and आप (āpap) do not change their stem, but they still combine with the postposition.

• First Person: मैं (ma͠imain), I becomes मुझ (mujh) → मुझसे (mujhse) - by/with me.
• Second Person: तुम (tum), you → तुमसे (tumse); आप (āpap), formal you → आपसे (āpseapse).
• Third Person / Demonstrative (Proximal): यह (yah), this/he/she becomes इस (is) → इससे (isse) - by/with this/him/her.
• Third Person / Demonstrative (Distal): वह (vahwah), that/he/she becomes उस (us) → उससे (usse) - by/with that/him/her.
• Plurals: हम (ham), we → हमसे (hamse); ये (ye), these/they → इनसे (inse); वे (vewe), those/they → उनसे (unse).
• Interrogative: कौन (kaun), who becomes किस (kis) → किससे (kisse) - by/with whom.

02

Usage 1: Means or Instrument

The most literal use of the instrumental case is to describe the tool or object used to perform an action. It answers the question "With what?" or "How?".

• मैं इससे लिखता हूँ।

  ma͠i isse likhtā hū̃.main isse likhta hun.

  I write with this.

• क्या तुम उनसे काम करते हो?

  kyā tum unse kām karte ho?kya tum unse kam karte ho?

  Do you work with those?

03

Usage 2: Communication Verbs

In English, we say "talk to him" or "ask him". In Hindi, specific verbs of communication require the instrumental case से (se) rather than the dative case को (ko). Common verbs using this structure include कहना (kahnākahna) - to say, पूछना (pūchnāpuchhna) - to ask, बोलना (bolnābolna) - to speak, and बात करना (bāt karnābat karna) - to converse.

• मुझसे पूछो।

  mujhse pūcho.mujhse puchho.

  Ask me.

• मैंने उससे कहा।

  ma͠ine usse kahā.mainne usse kaha.

  I said to him.

• कृपया हमसे बात करें।

  kṛpayā hamse bāt kareṃ.krpaya hamse bat kareṃ.

  Please talk to us.

04

Usage 3: Expressing Inability (Passive of Incapacity)

The instrumental pronoun is frequently used in negative passive sentences to express that the subject is unable to do something. The structure is literally "By me, this action is not done." This implies physical or emotional inability.

• मुझसे चला नहीं जाता।

  mujhse calā nahī̃ jātā.mujhse chala nahin jata.

  I cannot walk (literally: Walking is not done by me).

• उससे यह देखा नहीं गया।

  usse yah dekhā nahī̃ gayā.usse yah dekha nahin gaya.

  He could not watch this.

05

Usage 4: The Agent in Passive Voice

In standard passive voice sentences, the person performing the action (the agent) is marked with the instrumental case. This corresponds to the English "by".

• यह काम मुझसे किया गया।

  yah kām mujhse kiyā gayā.yah kam mujhse kiya gaya.

  This work was done by me.

• यह पत्र उनसे लिखा जाएगा।

  yah patr unse likhā jāegā.yah patr unse likha jaega.

  This letter will be written by them.

06

Difference from Ablative Case

The postposition से (se) is also used for the Ablative case, which indicates separation ("from"). While the word looks identical, the meaning depends on context.

• Instrumental: Connection, tool, or interaction (with/by).
• Ablative: Separation, distance, or source (from).

• मैं उससे खुश हूँ।

  ma͠i usse khuś hū̃.main usse khush hun.

  I am happy with him. (Instrumental/Cause)

• मैं उससे दूर हूँ।

  ma͠i usse dūr hū̃.main usse dur hun.

  I am far from him. (Ablative/Separation)