Verbs of Motion: идти and ехать, Going by Foot or by Vehicle
How Russian splits the verb 'to go' by method of travel and by one-way or repeated trips.
English has one verb "to go". Russian has several, depending on how you travel and whether the trip is one-way or habitual.
By foot or by vehicle
| Meaning | On foot | By vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| going now, one direction | идти | ехать |
| going habitually, or there and back | ходить | ездить |
Present forms
идти (idti), to go on foot:
- я иду, ты идёшь, он идёт
- мы идём, вы идёте, они идут
ехать (yekhat'), to go by vehicle:
- я еду, ты едешь, он едет
- мы едем, вы едете, они едут
Examples
- Я иду в школу. I am walking to school (now).
- Я еду в Москву. I am travelling to Moscow (now).
- Я часто хожу в парк. I often walk to the park.
- Мы каждый год ездим на юг. We go south every year.
Past of ходить and ездить
These verbs also describe a round trip in the past:
- Вчера я ходил в магазин. Yesterday I went to the shop (and came back).
- Он ездил в Россию. He has been to Russia.
Going to a place
Use в or на with the accusative to name the destination:
- в город, to the city
- на работу, to work
Other motion verbs
Russian also has pairs for flying (лететь, летать), running (бежать, бегать) and carrying (нести, носить). The same idea applies.
Tips
- Choose by method first, then by one-way or repeated.
- Learn the pairs together.
- Use the dictionary to check conjugations.
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