One short story, nine prefixes
Read the story line by line. Each line uses a different prefix, shown in red, with a full gloss.
What each verb becomes with a prefix
Most verbs simply take the prefix. Four change their shape slightly: идти́ becomes -йти, е́здить becomes -езжа́ть, пла́вать becomes -плыва́ть, and бе́гать moves its stress (-бе́гать). The examples below all use при- (arrival).
| Motion | One-way · round trip | + при · perfective | + при · imperfective | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk | идти́ · ходи́ть | идти́ → -йти. After a consonant prefix, add о: подойти́. | ||
| Ride, drive | е́хать · е́здить | е́здить → -езжа́ть. Hard sign after a consonant prefix: въе́хать. | ||
| Run | бежа́ть · бе́гать | Stress moves: бе́гать → -бе́гать. | ||
| Fly | лете́ть · лета́ть | Regular. | ||
| Swim, sail | плыть · пла́вать | пла́вать → -плыва́ть. | ||
| Carry (on foot) | нести́ · носи́ть | Regular. Past: принёс, принесла́. | ||
| Lead, take (a person) | вести́ · води́ть | Past: привёл, привела́. | ||
| Transport | везти́ · вози́ть | Sounds like привести́; spelled with з. Past: привёз. |
Thirteen directions, each with its preposition
Each prefix has a partner preposition (a word like “into” or “from” before a noun) that says where. The preposition also fixes the noun’s case. Pick a prefix.
Meaningв- · inMovement into a place.
Preposition and caseв + accusativeв ко́мнату, в дом (into the room, the house)
on foot to go in, enter
by transport to drive in
carrying to carry in
flying to fly in
Learn the prefixes in pairs of opposites
Most prefixes have an opposite. Learning them together halves the work, and the prepositions mirror each other too.
↕ opposite
↕ opposite
↕ opposite
↕ opposite
пришёл or приходи́л: is the person still there?
In the past, the two aspects say different things about the result. The perfective means the result still holds: he came and he is here. The imperfective of a prefixed verb often means a trip that has been reversed: he came and has gone again.
Past forms of the -йти verbs
All prefixed forms of идти́ build the past on -шёл: вошёл, вы́шел, ушёл, перешёл. Stress falls on -шёл except with вы́-, which always takes the stress: вы́шла.
Everyday meanings that have nothing to do with walking
Many prefixed motion verbs have abstract meanings that are just as common as the literal ones. Each is a set phrase; the image behind it usually makes sense once explained.
Choose the prefix
Он … в ко́мнату.
He came into the room. Как … до вокза́ла?
How do I get to the station? Осторо́жно … у́лицу!
Careful crossing the street! Па́пы нет, он уже́ … .
Dad isn’t here, he’s already left. … ко мне за́втра!
Drop in on me tomorrow! Я … свою́ остано́вку.
I missed my stop.