Koristnim

Koristnim is a grammatical form associated with the adjective koristan, which means useful or beneficial in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Montenegrin. The form koristnim appears in the instrumental singular and is used when the adjective modifies a noun in the instrumental case, typically to indicate that something is useful as a means or in a particular context.

Etymology and morphology are straightforward within the language group. The root korist- derives from the noun korist, meaning benefit or utility. The suffix -an marks the base adjective as appropriate for agreement with a noun, and the instrumental ending -nim signals a specific grammatical case. Together, koristan yields koristnim in its instrumental singular form, among other declined forms for different genders and numbers in binding contexts.

Usage and meaning are largely procedural in nature. In standard written and spoken Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Montenegrin, koristan is used to describe objects, actions, or concepts as being advantageous or suitable for a purpose, while koristnim appears when the sentence requires the instrumental construction. Examples include phrases that describe means, methods, or tools that are useful for achieving a goal, or expressions stating that something is useful in a given situation.

Relation to related terms is close: the noun korist denotes benefit or usefulness, and the related adjectives koristan, korisna, and korisno cover gender and number variations. Koristnim therefore sits within a family of forms that express utility and practicality in context.