Kterými

Kterými is the instrumental plural form of the Czech relative pronoun který, used to introduce a relative clause and refer to a plural antecedent in the instrumental case. It corresponds to English “with which/with whom” or “by which,” depending on the context. The form is used when the relative clause involves a plural noun or pronoun and the action in the clause takes instrumental meaning (means, instrument, or method).

Morphology and usage notes: In Czech, relative pronouns decline like adjectives. The plural instrumental form is kterými (spelled with í in modern Czech). This form is used across genders in the plural when the antecedent is plural and the clause contains an instrumental element, often after a preposition or with a verb that requires the instrumental. For example: To jsou projekty, kterými se zabýváme (These are the projects with which we deal); Používáme nástroje, kterými měříme (We use tools with which we measure).

Function: Kterými introduces information about the plural antecedent and specifies the means or manner by which an action is carried out in the relative clause. The choice of form inside the clause depends on the grammatical role the pronoun plays there, but in the plural instrumental position the form is typically kterými.

Notes: The singular equivalents differ (for example, masculine/neuter instrumental is kterým; feminine instrumental is kterou), but in the plural the standard form is kterými. As with other Czech relative pronouns, kterými can refer to people or things, depending on the noun being described and the prepositions governing the clause.