Russian Verbs of Motion

Part One – The Basics of Verbs of Motion

Why Russian Verbs of Motion Are So Special

Imagine trying to describe a simple trip to the store in Russian. In English, you’d simply say, “I went to the store.” Easy peasy, right? Well, in Russian, things get a bit more detailed. You’d have to specify:

• How you got there (on foot, by car, etc.).
• Whether it was a one-way trip or if you came back.
• Any additional details like habits, abilities, or ongoing actions.

At first, this level of specificity might feel overwhelming. But think of it as painting a clearer picture of your journey—a skill that becomes second nature with practice.

The Two Kinds of Verbs of Motion

To start mastering Russian verbs of motion, you need to understand the two main categories: unidirectional and multidirectional verbs.

Unidirectional Verbs: These are used when talking about movement in one specific direction. For example, walking straight to the store without coming back immediately.

Multidirectional Verbs: These cover movements involving multiple directions, such as going somewhere and returning, moving around an area, or describing habitual trips.

Let’s break down each type further.

Unidirectional Verbs

Unidirectional verbs focus on single-directional movement. They’re perfect for describing journeys where the destination is clear, or when something happens during the trip.

For instance:

• Идти (to go on foot) → Я иду в магазин. (I’m walking to the store.)
• Ехать (to go by vehicle) → Мы едем в Псков. (We’re driving to Pskov.)

Unidirectional verbs often imply progress or a current action. For example:

Когда я шел в киоск, потерял бумажник. (When I was walking to the kiosk, I lost my wallet.)

These verbs can also express habits if paired with a defined endpoint:

Обычно я иду на работу, а потом еду домой на автобусе. (Usually, I walk to work and then take the bus home.)

Multidirectional Verbs

Now let’s talk about multidirectional verbs. These babies are all about flexibility—they describe movement in various directions, including round trips, habits, and general activities.

Here’s how they work:

• Ходить (to walk regularly or move around) → Каждый день он ходит в школу. (Every day he walks to school.)
• Ездить (to travel regularly or by vehicle) → Мама часто ездит в город за покупками. (Mom often drives to the city for shopping.)

Multidirectional verbs shine when describing recurring actions, ability, or movement within an area:

Ты можешь ездить туда каждую неделю. (You can go there every week.)

Они ходили по лесу. (They wandered through the forest.)

Even in the past tense, multidirectional verbs suggest both departure and return:

Вчера я ездила в университет. (Yesterday, I went to the university—and came back.)

Key Takeaways

• Unidirectional verbs = Specific, one-way movement.
• Multidirectional verbs = Flexible, multi-directional movement.
• Both types add layers of meaning to your sentences, making them richer and more precise.

By now, you should have a solid grasp of the basics. Ready to dive deeper? In the next section, we’ll explore the most common verbs of motion and their uses. Stay tuned!

Part Two – The 14 Russian Verbs of Motion

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the heart of the matter: the 14 verb pairs that form the foundation of Russian verbs of motion. These verbs are your bread and butter when describing movement in Russian. Master them, and you’ll be well on your way to fluency.

The Complete List of 14 Verb Pairs

Here’s a quick overview of all the verbs you need to know:

 

 

One Directional	Multidirectional	Translation
Идти	Ходить	To go (on foot)
Ехать	Ездить	To go, to drive
Бежать	Бегать	To run
Лететь	Летать	To fly
Плыть	Плавать	To swim
Лезть	лазать	To climb
Ползти	Ползать	To crawl
Брести	Бродить	To wander, roam
Нести	Носить	To carry, bring
Вести	Водить	To lead
Везти	Возить	To transport (by vehicle)
Гнать	Гонять	To drive, chase (animals)
Катить	Катать	To roll, ride
Тащить	Таскать	To drag

As you can see, these verbs fall into two categories:

• Intransitive Verbs: The first eight verbs don’t take a direct object (e.g., “идти” – to go).
• Transitive Verbs: The last six verbs do take a direct object (e.g., “нести” – to carry something).

Let’s explore each pair in detail.

1. Идти/Ходить – To Go (On Foot)

These verbs describe walking or moving on foot.

• Идти: Used for one-way trips with a clear destination.Example: Мы идём в парк. (“We’re going to the park.”)
• Ходить: Describes regular trips, habits, or movements involving multiple directions.Example: Я хожу в спортзал каждое утро. (“I go to the gym every morning.”)

Fun Fact: The verb “идти” also has metaphorical uses, such as describing weather (идёт дождь – “It’s raining”) or events (идёт фильм – “A movie is playing”).

2. Ехать/Ездить – To Go, To Drive

Use these verbs for any kind of transportation by vehicle.

• Ехать: For single trips with a defined endpoint.Example: Они едут в Москву на выходные. (“They’re going to Moscow for the weekend.”)
• Ездить: For recurring trips or movements without a fixed endpoint.Example: Мы часто ездим к бабушке летом. (“We often visit grandma in the summer.”)
• Tip: You can specify the mode of transport using prepositions like на машине (“by car”) or на поезде (“by train”).

3. Бежать/Бегать – To Run

Running gets its own set of verbs!

• Бежать: For running toward a specific goal.Example: Дети бегут к леденцу. (“The kids are running toward the candy store.”)
• Бегать: For running around, exercising, or habitual actions.Example: Каждый день он бегает по утрам. (“Every day he runs in the mornings.”)

4. Лететь/Летать – To Fly

Perfect for describing flights—literal or figurative!

• Лететь: For flying toward a destination.Example: Самолёт летит в Париж. (“The plane is flying to Paris.”)
• Летать: For repeated flights or abstract meanings.Example: Птицы летают над озером. (“Birds fly over the lake.”)

5. Плыть/Плавать – To Swim

Swimming enthusiasts, this one’s for you!

• Плыть: For swimming toward a specific point.Example: Он плывёт через реку. (“He’s swimming across the river.”)
• Плавать: For general swimming or habitual actions.Example: Мы любим плавать в море летом. (“We love swimming in the sea during the summer.”)

6. Лезть/Лазить – To Climb

Climbing requires precision in Russian too!

• Лезть: For climbing toward a specific spot.Example: Кот лезет на дерево. (“The cat is climbing the tree.”)
• Лазить: For climbing around or exploring.Example: Ребёнок любит лазать по шкафам. (“The child likes to climb on shelves.”)

7. Ползти/Ползать – To Crawl

For slow-moving creatures—or toddlers!

• Ползти: For crawling toward a specific location.Example: Змея ползёт по земле. (“The snake is crawling along the ground.”)
• Ползать: For crawling around freely.Example: Малыш ползает по полу. (“The baby crawls around on the floor.”)

8. Брести/Бродить – To Wander, Roam

Explorers and dreamers will appreciate this pair!

• Брести: For wandering aimlessly but heading somewhere.Example: Старик бредёт по тропинке. (“The old man stumbles down the path.”)
• Бродить: For wandering without a clear direction.Example: Она любит бродить по лесу. (“She loves wandering through the forest.”)

9–14. Transitive Verbs of Motion

These verbs involve carrying, leading, transporting, or dragging objects or people.

• Нести/Носить: Carrying something on foot.Example: Мама несёт сумку. (“Mom is carrying the bag.”) vs. Она носит очки. (“She wears glasses.”)
• Вести/Водить: Leading someone or something.Example: Учитель ведёт учеников в класс. (“The teacher leads the students to class.”) vs. Он водил машину. (“He drove the car.”)
• Везти/Возить: Transporting by vehicle.Example: Грузовик везёт товары. (“The truck transports goods.”) vs. Фермер возил урожай. (“The farmer transported crops.”)
• Гнать/Гонять: Driving animals or chasing them.Example: Пастух гнал стадо домой. (“The shepherd drove the herd home.”) vs. Мальчик гонял мяч. (“The boy chased the ball.”)
• Катить/Катать: Rolling or riding something.Example: Она катит коляску. (“She pushes the stroller.”) vs. Дети катались на велосипедах. (“The children rode bikes.”)
• Тащить/Таскать: Dragging heavy objects.Example: Они тащили сундук. (“They dragged the chest.”) vs. Он таскал книги из библиотеки. (“He carried books from the library.”)

Key Takeaways

• There are 14 verb pairs, divided into intransitive and transitive verbs.
• Each pair consists of a unidirectional verb (specific direction) and a multidirectional verb (multiple directions or habits).
• Understanding the nuances of each pair will help you express precise ideas about movement.

By now, you should have a solid grasp of the basics. Ready to dive deeper? In the next section, we’ll explore the most common verbs of motion and their uses. Stay tuned!

Part Three – Prefixes with Russian Verbs of Motion

Now that you’ve mastered the basics, let’s take your skills to the next level by exploring prefixes. In Russian, prefixes are like magic wands—they completely change the meaning of a verb, adding layers of specificity and nuance.

Prefixes allow you to describe motion in even greater detail. For example:

Without a prefix: Я иду в магазин. (“I’m going to the store.”)
With a prefix: Я вошёл в магазин. (“I entered the store.”)

See how the addition of the prefix в- changes the verb идти (to go) into войти (to enter)? That’s the power of prefixes!

Let’s dive deeper into this magical realm.

Why Prefixes Matter

In English, we often rely on prepositions after verbs to clarify direction or location. For instance:

• “I went into the room.”
• “I walked across the street.”

Russian achieves the same precision using prefixes. Instead of saying “go into,” you use a single verb with the appropriate prefix. This makes Russian verbs incredibly expressive—but also slightly more complex at first.

The Most Common Prefixes

Here’s a list of the most common prefixes used with verbs of motion, along with their meanings:

Prefix	Meaning	Example Verb	Translation
в-	Into, inside	войти	To enter
вы-	Out of	выйти	To exit
до-	Up to, as far as	дойти	To reach
об-	Around	обойти	To walk around
от-	Away from	отойти	To move away
пере-	Across, through	перейти	To cross
под-	Approaching	подойти	To approach
при-	Arrival	прийти	To arrive
про-	Past, beyond	пройти	To pass by
с-	Down from, away from	сойти	To descend, get off
у-	Away from	уйти	To leave

Special Case: The Prefix ПО-

The prefix по- is unique because it turns any verb of motion into its perfective form. Perfective verbs indicate completed actions, making them ideal for describing one-time events or beginnings. For example:

• Идти → Пойти : To start walking.Example: Он пошёл на работу. (“He went to work.”)
• Ехать → Поехать : To begin a trip.Example: Мы поехали в отпуск. (“We left for vacation.”)
• Бежать → Побежать : To start running.Example: Когда услышал гром, он побежал домой. (“When he heard thunder, he ran home.”)

Combining Prefixes and Prepositions

Many prefixed verbs require prepositions to specify the destination or direction. Here’s an example:

Verb	Preposition	Example Sentence	Translation
Входить	в	Я вошел в комнату.	I entered the room.
Выходить	из	Она вышла из машины.	She exited the car.
Доходить	до	Мы добрались до вокзала.	We reached the station.
Обходить	вокруг	Он обошел вокруг дома.	He walked around the house.
Отходить	от	Они отошли от окна.	They moved away from the window.
Переходить	через	Дети перешли через дорогу.	The children crossed the road.
Подходить	к	Такси подъехало к дому.	The taxi approached the house.
Приходить	к	Гости пришли к нам на чай.	The guests came over for tea.
Проходить	мимо	Мужчина прошел мимо меня.	The man walked past me.
Сойти	с	Пассажиры сошли с поезда.	The passengers got off the train.
Уходить	от	Она ушла от работы рано.	She left work early.

Part Four – Aspect in Russian Verbs of Motion

By now, you’ve learned about unidirectional and multidirectional verbs, as well as how prefixes can transform their meanings. But there’s one more crucial element to understanding Russian verbs of motion: aspect.

Aspect is what gives Russian verbs their unique ability to express whether an action is complete or ongoing. While this might sound intimidating, don’t worry—it’s simpler than it seems! Let’s break it down step by step.

What Is Aspect?

In English, we use verb tenses (past, present, future) to indicate when something happens. In Russian, tense is still important, but aspect adds another layer of meaning. There are two aspects:

• Imperfective Aspect: Describes actions that are ongoing, habitual, or incomplete.
• Perfective Aspect: Describes actions that are completed or have a clear endpoint.

For example:

Imperfective: Я шёл в магазин. (“I was walking to the store.”)
Perfective: Я пошёл в магазин. (“I went to the store.”)

Notice how the perfective version emphasizes completion, while the imperfective focuses on the process itself.

How Aspect Works with Verbs of Motion

When it comes to verbs of motion, aspect works hand-in-hand with directionality (unidirectional vs. multidirectional). Here’s how:

Unidirectional Verbs

Without prefixes: These verbs are usually imperfective and describe ongoing or habitual actions.

Example: Он идёт в школу. (“He’s walking to school.”)

With prefixes: Adding a prefix turns them into perfective verbs, indicating completion or initiation.

Example: Он пошёл в школу. (“He went to school.”)

Multidirectional Verbs

Without prefixes: These verbs are typically imperfective and describe habits or repeated actions.

Example: Они ходят в кино. (“They go to the movies regularly.”)

With prefixes: Again, adding a prefix makes them perfective, emphasizing completion or short-term actions.

Example: Они походили по парку. (“They walked around the park for a bit.”)

The Prefix ПО- and Aspect

We already touched on the prefix по- in Part Three, but let’s revisit its role in creating perfective forms of verbs of motion.

Adding по- to both unidirectional and multidirectional verbs transforms them into their perfective counterparts. This indicates that the action is either completed or has started.

Here are some examples:

Base Verb	Imperfective Form	Perfective Form	Translation
Идти	Я иду в магазин.	Я пошёл в магазин.	I’m going / I went to the store.
Ходить	Мы ходим в церковь.	Мы походили по улице.	We go to church / We walked around.
Ехать	Она едет на работу.	Она поехала на работу.	She’s driving / She drove to work.
Бежать	Ребёнок бежит к маме.	Ребёнок побежал к маме.	The child is running / ran to his mom.

Key Rules for Aspect

To help you navigate the world of aspect, here are some simple guidelines:

• Unidirectional Verbs: Use imperfective forms for ongoing or habitual actions; use perfective forms for completed actions or beginnings.
• Multidirectional Verbs: Use imperfective forms for habits or repeated actions; use perfective forms for short-term or completed actions.
• Prefixes Matter: Adding a prefix often creates a perfective form, regardless of the base verb. For example: идти (imperfective) → войти (perfective).
• Context Is King: The context of the sentence will often clarify whether an action is complete or ongoing. Pay attention to adverbs like часто (“often”), сейчас (“now”), or вчера (“yesterday”).

Examples in Context

Let’s look at some real-life examples to see how aspect works with verbs of motion:

• Ongoing Action (Imperfective):Когда я шёл домой, начался дождь. (“When I was walking home, it started raining.”)Explanation: The verb шёл shows an ongoing action.
• Completed Action (Perfective):Вчера мы пошли в ресторан. (“Yesterday, we went to the restaurant.”)Explanation: The verb пошли emphasizes that the trip was completed.
• Short-Term Action (Perfective):Мы немного походили по пляжу. (“We walked around the beach for a bit.”)Explanation: The prefix по- and the perfective form походили indicate a brief, completed action.
• Habitual Action (Imperfective):Они всегда ходят в этот магазин. (“They always go to that store.”)Explanation: The verb ходят highlights repetition.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing Imperfective and Perfective Forms: Beginners often mix up these forms because they sound similar. For example, идти and пойти differ only by the prefix по-, but their meanings are distinct.
• Overusing Perfective Forms: Don’t use perfective verbs unless you’re sure the action is complete. For example, saying я поехал в магазин implies you’ve already arrived—or at least started the journey!
• Neglecting Context: Always consider the context of the sentence. Adverbs, time markers, and other clues will guide you toward the correct aspect.

Key Takeaways

• Aspect is a powerful tool for expressing whether an action is ongoing, habitual, or completed.
• Unidirectional verbs focus on single-directional movement, while multidirectional verbs cover multiple directions or habits.
• The prefix по- plays a key role in creating perfective forms of verbs of motion.
• Practice recognizing and using both imperfective and perfective forms in context to master this concept.

Now that you’ve grasped the intricacies of aspect, you’re ready to tackle any Russian verb of motion with confidence. In the final section, we’ll put everything together with practical tips and exercises to solidify your understanding. Stay tuned!

Conclusion – Mastering Russian Verbs of Motion

Congratulations! You’ve made it through a comprehensive guide to one of the most challenging aspects of the Russian language: verbs of motion. By now, you should have a solid understanding of unidirectional vs. multidirectional verbs, prefixes, and aspect—all the tools you need to describe movement with precision and confidence.

But remember, mastering Russian verbs of motion isn’t just about memorizing rules; it’s about applying them in real-life situations. Let’s recap what we’ve learned and explore how you can take your skills to the next level.

Key Takeaways

• Unidirectional vs. Multidirectional Verbs:Use unidirectional verbs (идти, ехать) for single-directional movements or trips with a clear endpoint.Use multidirectional verbs (ходить, ездить) for habitual actions, round trips, or movements involving multiple directions.
• Prefixes Add Precision:Prefixes like в-, вы-, до-, and по- transform basic verbs into more specific ones, allowing you to describe exactly how someone moves.For example: идти (to go) → войти (to enter).
• Aspect Matters:The imperfective aspect describes ongoing or habitual actions, while the perfective aspect emphasizes completion or initiation.Adding the prefix по- often creates a perfective form of a verb of motion.
• Practice Makes Perfect:Like any skill, mastering verbs of motion takes time and practice. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes—they’re part of the learning process!

How to Practice Russian Verbs of Motion

Here are some practical tips to help you internalize these concepts:

• Create Sentences: Write sentences using different verb pairs, prefixes, and aspects. Start simple and gradually increase complexity.Example:
  Imperfective: Я ходил в магазин. (“I went to the store regularly.”)
  Perfective: Я пошёл в магазин. (“I went to the store once.”)
• Use Real-Life Scenarios: Describe your daily routine or recent travels using verbs of motion. Focus on being as precise as possible.Example: Утром я иду на работу, а вечером езжу домой.
• Read and Listen: Expose yourself to native materials—books, articles, podcasts—and observe how native speakers use verbs of motion in context.
• Play Games: Create flashcards with verb pairs, prefixes, and examples. Test yourself regularly to reinforce your knowledge.
• Engage with Native Speakers: Practice speaking with Russians or fellow learners. Conversations will help you apply what you’ve learned naturally.

Why Learning Verbs of Motion Is Worth It

At first glance, Russian verbs of motion might seem overwhelming. But think of them as a gift—a way to express movement with incredible detail and nuance. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that these verbs add depth and richness to your communication.

For instance:

• Instead of simply saying “I went,” you can say я приехал (“I arrived by vehicle”) or я подошёл (“I approached”).
• Instead of “They traveled,” you can specify они перелетели через океан (“They flew across the ocean”).

This level of specificity is what makes Russian such a fascinating language. And trust me, when you start using these verbs correctly, native speakers will notice—and appreciate—your effort.

Final Words of Encouragement

Learning Russian verbs of motion requires patience and persistence, but it’s entirely doable. Break down the concepts into manageable chunks, practice consistently, and celebrate small victories along the way.

Remember, every expert was once a beginner. So don’t be discouraged if things feel tricky at first. With time, you’ll develop an intuition for when to use which verb, prefix, or aspect.

And finally, always keep this in mind: Практика делает мастера! (“Practice makes perfect!”) Keep practicing, stay curious, and enjoy the journey.