In Russian, we often add a prefix to a verb of motion to slightly change its meaning. It’s a bit like we might use the word “move” in a variety of phrasal verbs, like “move over,” “move on,” “move up,” “move around,” etc.
- ходить → приходитьTranscription: khaDEET → preekhaDEETTranslation: go → come over
- ходить → заходитьTranscription: khaDEET → zakhaDEETTranslation: go → stop by / stop in
In this post, we’ll go over the common prefixes added to verbs of motion, discuss how to add those prefixes, and talk about how those prefixes relate to the aspect of different verbs of motion. Let’s get into it!
What are the prefixes for Russian verbs of motion?
The most common prefixes for Russian verbs of motion are illustrated in the table below.
| Prefix | Generalized meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
в-/во- Transcription: v-/va | movement into a place | Входите! / Войдите! Transcription: fkhaDEEtye / vayDEEtye Translation: Enter! / Come in! |
за- Transcription: za | movement into a place | Она заходила ко мне в гости сегодня. Transcription: aNA zakhaDEEla ka mnye v GOstee seeVOdnya Translation: She stopped by my place today. |
до- Transcription: da | to get to a place, arrive there | Пешком можно дойти? Transcription: peeshKOM MOZHna dayTEE Translation: Can I get there on foot? |
при- Transcription: pree | to come over, come down | Приходите в 5 часов. Transcription: preekhaDEEtye f pyat cheeSOF Translation: Come over at 5 o’clock. |
пере- Transcription: piri | to move from A to B | Давайте перейдём к следующей теме. Transcription: daVAYtye peeriyDYOM k SLYEdooshchyey TYEmye Translation: Let’s move on to the next topic. |
про- Transcription: pra | to pass | Уже прошло пять лет. Transcription: ooZHE prashLO pyat lyet Translation: Five years have gone by (passed). |
под- Transcription: pot | to approach, get close | Мы уже подходим к площади. А вы где? Transcription: my ooZHE patKHOdeem k PLOshchadee a vy gdye Translation: We are getting close to the square. Where are you? |
об-/обо- Transcription: ob/aba | around, all over | Мы обошли все магазины. Transcription: my abashLEE fsye magaZEEny Translation: We walked around all the stores. |
вы- Transcription: vy | to exit a place | Я сегодня не выходил из дома. Transcription: ya seeVOdnya nee vykhaDEEL iz DOma Translation: I have not left the house today. |
от- Transcription: at | to move away from a place | Отойди в сторону, мне не видно. Transcription: atayDEE f STOranoo mnye nee VEEdna Translation: Move away to the side, I can’t see. |
у- Transcription: oo | to leave a place | Он встал и ушёл. Transcription: on fstal ee ooSHOL Translation: He got up and left. |
The table above is focused on the meanings of these prefixes when they are attached to the verb идти / ходить transcribed eeTEE / khaDEET, both of which mean “to go on foot.”
However, these prefixes can be added to other verbs of motion, such as плыть / плавать transcribed plyt / PLAvatmeaning to swim, лететь / летать transcribed leeTYET / leeTATmeaning to fly, etc. For example:
If you’d like to see more examples of how these same prefixes above can be added to other verbs of motion, check out the downloadable table of Russian verbs of motion prefixes at the bottom of this page!
How to add prefixes to Russian verbs of motion?
In most cases, you can simply add a prefix to a Russian verb of motion, without making any other changes. For example:
In some instances, though, you will have to make a few more changes to the spelling and/or pronunciation of a verb as well. Often there is a predictable rule that you can follow. For example:
When you add a prefix to the verb идти transcribed eeTEEmeaning to go/walk, the base word gets reduced to -йти.
- идти → уйтиTranscription: eeTEE → ooyTEETranslation: to go → to leave (on foot)
- иду → зайдуTranscription: eeDOO → zayDOOTranslation: I’m coming → I will stop by
In cases where the prefix ends in a consonant, you’ll also need to add an о between the prefix and this verb.
Иди! → Отойди!Transcription: eeDEE → atayDEETranslation: Go → Move to the side!When you add a prefix to the verb ехать transcribed YEkhatmeaning to ride/drive, you would need to add a hard sign ъ after prefixes that end in a consonant.
- ехать → въехатьTranscription: YEkhat → VYEkhatTranslation: to ride/drive → to ride/drive in
- еду → подъедуTranscription: YEdoo → padYEdooTranslation: I’m driving/riding → I will drive up/ride up
However, in some cases, the form with the prefix is not totally predictable. You’ll just need to memorize it!
Do prefixed verbs of motion have directionality in Russian?
In Russian, all prefixed verbs can be used as either unidirectional or multidirectional. So where unprefixed verbs of motion will either describe one trip in one direction (unidirectional) or several trips or movement in several directions (multidirectional), prefixed verbs don’t make this distinction.
So is there any difference between adding a prefix to a unidirectional motion verb vs. a multidirectional motion verb?
The answer is, yes! The difference just impacts the aspect of the prefixed verb, rather than its directionality. Let’s talk a bit more about that.
How do prefixed verbs of motion show aspect?
When you form a prefixed verb of motion in Russian, the version of a verb of motion you attach the prefix to can influence the aspect of the resulting verb:
Adding a prefix to a unidirectional verb generally creates a perfective verb
Adding a prefix to a multidirectional verb generally creates an imperfective verb
Most Russian verbs are either perfective or imperfective. What’s the difference? In simple terms, a verb’s aspect helps express how actions are positioned in time. For example:
The perfective aspect in Russian might imply that an action is connected to the present moment.
The imperfective aspect in Russian might express that an action happens with some regularity.
Let’s take a closer look at how adding the prefix за- to the unidirectional verb of motion идти transcribed eeTEE produces a perfective verb, while adding it to the multidirectional verb ходить transcribed khaDEET produces an imperfective verb.
| Tense | Perfective за- + идти | Imperfective за- + ходить |
|---|---|---|
Present | There are no perfective verbs in the present tense. | Я вижу как он заходит в здание. Transcription: ya VEEzhoo kak on zaKHOdeet v ZDAneeye Translation: I see that he is entering the building. Он редко заходит ко мне. Transcription: on RYEtka zaKHOdeet ka mnye Translation: He rarely stops by my place. |
Past | Спасибо, что зашли. Я рада. Transcription: spaSEEba shto zashLEE ya RAda Translation: I’m thankful you came by. I’m happy. The event that happened in the past impacts the present. | Он заходил вчера. Transcription: on zakhaDEEL fcheeRA Translation: He stopped by yesterday. The event happened in the past (factual). |
Future | Я зайду к тебе завтра. Transcription: ya zayDOO k teeBYE ZAftra Translation: I will stop by your place tomorrow. It will happen once. | Я буду заходить к тебе почаще. Transcription: ya BOOdoo zakhaDEET k teeBYE paCHAshchye Translation: I will stop by your place more often. It will happen with regularity. |
Conclusion
This morning, I вышел из дома transcribed VYshel iz DOmameaning went out of my house, перешёл дорогу transcribed peereeSHOL daROgoomeaning went across the street, and зашёл в кафе transcribed zaSHOL f kaFEmeaning stopped by a café to buy coffee. It’s only 9 am but I already used three prefixed verbs of motion!
I hope you enjoyed this post. Here’s what you should take away:
Adding a prefix to a Russian verb of motion can help you alter its meaning, often making them more specific. (Though sometimes adding a prefix will slightly alter the pronunciation/spelling of the base word!)
The directionality of a verb of motion is not preserved when you add a prefix to it. This means the directionality is the same whether you use a prefix + unidirectional verb or prefix + directional verb.
However, the stem that you add your prefix to can influence the aspect of the prefixed verb of motion. In general:
prefix + unidirectional verb of motion → perfective aspect
prefix + multidirectional verb of motion → imperfective aspect
Ready to practice? Download the Russian prefixed verbs of motion exercises using the link below. Happy learning!
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