The general endings -ами and -ями
Instrumental plural is regular once the correct plural stem is retrieved.
- The common default is transparent: plural stem + -ами/-ями. A small high-frequency group uses shorter -ьми and is isolated on page 4.
- Plural unification: Compare dative -ам/-ям, instrumental -ами/-ями, and prepositional -ах/-ях. The stem alternation often carries more difficulty than the case ending.
| Stem type | Ending | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| hard | -ами | стола́ми, кни́гами, о́кнами |
| soft / /j/-related | -ями | музе́ями, неде́лями, моря́ми |
| irregular plural stem | regular or lexical ending | друзья́ми, бра́тьями; людьми́ |
Mini-check
1. Choose the endings for кни́ги and музе́и. 2. Which element is irregular in друзья́ми?
Apply this next
- Retrieve the rule without looking, then continue to the next lesson.