The instrumental case is widely used in Polish in different situations and for different purposes, such as describing nationality, means of transport and professions.
Male and neuter singular nouns end with em and feminine nouns end with ą in the instrumental. This rule is sufficient to recognise most instrumental singular endings.
Some examples of the instrumental using food words:
| lemon (feminine noun) | cytrina | cytriną |
| sugar (masculine nouns) | cukier | cukrem |
| butter (neuter noun) | masło | masłem |
The preposition Z followed by the instrumental means 'with' and is shown in more detail here.
Przed, nad and pod are also followed by the instrumental.
The instrumental case is also used when travelling by something.
The instrumental endings follow the same rules as above so em is added onto masculine nouns and ą onto feminine nouns, and here are some examples.
| I travel by train | Podrózuję pociągiem |
| I travel by car | Podrózuję samochodem |
| I travel by helicopter | Podrózuję helikopterem |
| I travel by boat | Podrózuję łodzią |
| I travel by taxi | Podrózuję taksówką |
| I travel by tram | Podrózuję tramwajem |
Although, łodz 'boat' looks like a masculine noun, it is in fact feminine which is why it is łodzią in the instrumental.
If you are talking about the mode of transport then use latać when flying, pływać when on water and jezdzić for anything else.
So latam helikopterem 'I fly by helicpoter' , jeżdżę samochodem 'I go by car' and pływam statekiem 'I go by ship'.
The instrumental is used to describe what someone does (as a job).
| I am a waiter (man speaking) | Jestem kelnerem |
| I am poet (woman speaking) | Jestem poetką |
| I am a teacher (man speaking) | Jestem nauczycielem |
| I am a teacher (woman speaking) | Jestem nauczycielką |
| I am a student (man speaking) | Jestem studentem |
| I am a student (woman speaking) | Jestem studentką |
The instrumental is used to say 'I am English', 'I am Welsh' and so on.
| I am English (man speaking) | Jestem anglikiem |
| I am English (woman speaking) | Jestem angielką |
| He is French | On jest Francuzem |
| She is French | Ona jest Francuzką |