prirodnim

Prirodnim is a grammatical form found in several South Slavic languages, including Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian. It is not a standalone word but an inflected form of the adjective prirodan, meaning natural, or of the related root priroda, meaning nature. In these languages, adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case, and prirodnim is the instrumental singular masculine form.

The primary use of prirodnim is in constructions that express manner, means, or mode. A common example is prirodnim putem, which translates to “by natural means” or “in a natural way.” Such phrases describe how something is done or achieved, emphasizing alignment with nature or natural processes.

Etymology traces the form to the root priroda (nature) with the standard Slavic adjectival suffix and the instrumental ending. This connection underlines how the term conveys the sense of naturalness within the grammatical structure of the sentence.

Usage notes emphasize that prirodnim functions specifically as the instrumental singular masculine form. When referring to nouns of other gender or number, the corresponding inflected form of the adjective is used to maintain grammatical agreement.

See also: priroda, prirodan, prirodno.