Russian verbs of motion cheat sheet.
All 9 motion verb pairs and all 13 directional prefixes on one page. Multidirectional and unidirectional imperfective in green, perfective in red. Print it, pin it, or save as PDF.
Russian verbs of motion - Quick Reference
9 verb pairs · 13 directional prefixes · slova.be
The 9 verb pairs
| Meaning | Multidirectional (imperfective) | Unidirectional (imperfective) | Unidirectional (perfective with по-) |
|---|---|---|---|
| To goby foot | ходить | идти | пойти |
| To goby transport | ездить | ехать | поехать |
| To run | бегать | бежать | побежать |
| To fly | летать | лететь | полететь |
| To swim, sail | плавать | плыть | поплыть |
| To carryon foot; to wear (multi) | носить | нести | понести |
| To carryby transport | возить | везти | повезти |
| To leaddrive a car (multi) | водить | вести | повести |
| To drag, pull | таскать | тащить | потащить |
Imperfective (multidirectional in italics)
Perfective (formed with по-)
Underline = stressed vowel
The 13 directional prefixes
Prefix + multidirectional = imperfective. Prefix + unidirectional = perfective. So ходить + в- gives imperfective входить; идти + в- gives perfective войти.
в- / во-
into, entrance
входить/войти
вы-
out of, exit
выходить/выйти
вз- / вс-
upwards, ascent
всходить/взойти
с- / со-
downwards, off, from
сходить/сойти
при-
arrival
приходить/прийти
у-
leave, depart
уходить/уйти
до-
reach, as far as
доходить/дойти
под- / подо-
approach
подходить/подойти
от- / ото-
step away, move aside
отходить/отойти
за-
drop in, behind
заходить/зайти
пере-
across, over
переходить/перейти
про-
through, past
проходить/пройти
об- / обо-
around, bypass
обходить/обойти
How to read this sheet
- 1Multidirectional (italics, green): habit, round-trip, general ability. Trigger words: часто, каждый день, иногда.
- 2Unidirectional imperfective (green): one trip in one direction, in progress now. "Я иду в кафе" = I'm walking to the cafe (right now).
- 3Perfective with по- (red): the act of setting off. "Я пойду" = I'll head off (single, completed event).
- 4Prefix + unidirectional = perfective. идти + в- = войти. Prefix + multidirectional = imperfective. ходить + в- = входить.
- 5Past multidirectional means "went and came back." "Вчера я ходил в кино" = Yesterday I went to the cinema (and came back). Past unidirectional describes the journey mid-trip.
- 6Driving distinction. ехать/ездить = travel by vehicle (as passenger or driver). водить/вести = operate a vehicle (drive a taxi for a living).
Drill motion verbs in real sentences.
Slova trains идти, ходить, ехать, ездить and their prefixed forms inside A1-B1 sentences, picking the right uni/multi form for each context. The cheat sheet shows you the pattern; Slova makes it stick.
Train this in Slova