Motion Verbs in Russian: Prefixes and Meanings

Motion verbs in Russian form a unique and essential aspect of the language. These verbs describe movement and are highly versatile due to their use of prefixes, which modify their meanings to express direction, purpose, or nuances of movement. Understanding how prefixes influence motion verbs is key to mastering their use.
1. Overview of Motion Verbs in Russian
Russian motion verbs are divided into two categories:
- Unidirectional (однонаправленные): Describe motion in a single direction.
Example: идти (to go, on foot, in one direction). - Multidirectional (многонаправленные): Describe habitual, back-and-forth, or general motion.
Example: ходить (to go, on foot, in various directions or repeatedly).
Both categories can take prefixes to alter their meanings, often combining direction and purpose.
2. Key Prefixes and Their Meanings
Below is a table of common prefixes used with motion verbs and their meanings:
Prefix | Meaning | Example (Unidirectional/Multidirectional) | Translation |
---|---|---|---|
по- | Start of motion | пойти / походить | To set out, to walk a bit |
при- | Arrival, coming | прийти / приходить | To come, to arrive |
у- | Departure, leaving | уйти / уходить | To leave, to go away |
в- (во-) | Entering | войти / входить | To enter, to go in |
вы- | Exiting | выйти / выходить | To exit, to go out |
за- | Short visit, detour | зайти / заходить | To stop by, to make a detour |
на- | Motion onto a surface | найти / находить | To climb, to go onto |
под- | Approaching | подойти / подходить | To approach, to come closer |
от- | Motion away from | отойти / отходить | To move away, to depart |
про- | Passing through or by | пройти / проходить | To go through, to pass |
пере- | Crossing, moving to another place | перейти / переходить | To cross, to move |
до- | Reaching a destination | дойти / доходить | To reach, to get to |
об- (обо-) | Motion around or bypassing | обойти / обходить | To go around, to bypass |
с- (со-) | Descending | сойти / сходить | To descend, to go down |
3. Examples of Motion Verbs with Prefixes
Basic Verb: идти / ходить (to go, on foot)
- по-: пойти (to start walking)
Example: Я пойду в магазин. (I will go to the store.) - при-: прийти (to arrive on foot)
Example: Он пришёл домой. (He came home.) - у-: уйти (to leave on foot)
Example: Она ушла на работу. (She left for work.)
Basic Verb: ехать / ездить (to go, by vehicle)
- в-: въехать (to drive into)
Example: Машина въехала в гараж. (The car drove into the garage.) - вы-: выехать (to drive out)
Example: Мы выехали из города. (We drove out of the city.) - за-: заехать (to stop by, by vehicle)
Example: Он заехал за мной. (He stopped by to pick me up.)
Basic Verb: бегать / бежать (to run)
- под-: подбежать (to run up to)
Example: Ребёнок подбежал к маме. (The child ran up to their mother.) - об-: оббежать (to run around)
Example: Он оббежал дом. (He ran around the house.)
Basic Verb: летать / лететь (to fly)
- до-: долететь (to fly to a destination)
Example: Мы долетели до Москвы. (We flew to Moscow.) - про-: пролететь (to fly past/through)
Example: Птица пролетела мимо окна. (The bird flew past the window.)
4. Nuances of Prefix Usage
- Aspect Change: Adding a prefix often changes the aspect of the verb from imperfective to perfective. For example:
- идти (to go, imperfective) → прийти (to arrive, perfective).
- Purpose and Intent: Prefixes add a layer of meaning, often specifying the purpose or direction of the movement.
Example:
Я пошёл в парк. (I started walking to the park.)
Я зашёл в магазин. (I stopped by the store.)
5. Prefixes for Abstract Meanings
Motion verbs with prefixes can also take on abstract, non-literal meanings, especially in idiomatic expressions.
Examples
- Он вышел из себя.
(He lost his temper.)
Literal: «He went out of himself.» - Она зашла слишком далеко.
(She went too far.)
Literal: «She went too far.» - Идея не дошла до него.
(He didn’t understand the idea.)
Literal: «The idea didn’t reach him.»
6. Summary Table: Common Motion Verbs with Prefixes
Base Verb | With Prefix | Meaning |
---|---|---|
идти / ходить | прийти / приходить | To come (on foot) |
уйти / уходить | To leave (on foot) | |
ехать / ездить | въехать / въезжать | To drive into |
выехать / выезжать | To drive out | |
бежать / бегать | подбежать | To run up to |
отбежать | To run away | |
лететь / летать | пролететь | To fly through |
долететь | To reach by flying |
7. Practical Tips for Mastery
- Learn Prefixes in Context: Practice with sentences to understand the nuances of each prefix.
- Pair with Prepositions: Many motion verbs are used with prepositions that further define direction or purpose.
Example: Он пошёл к реке. (He went to the river.) - Distinguish Between Aspects: Pay attention to the difference between perfective and imperfective verbs when using prefixes.
By mastering motion verbs and their prefixes, you will gain a deeper understanding of Russian grammar and significantly enhance your ability to express direction, purpose, and nuanced actions.