Verbs of motion is one the toughest topics in Russian, but the information below will help you to learn it faster

In this post you'll see some tips on how to learn these verbs and also you'll watch the video that A1+ level students did after 2 weeks of learning verbs of motion.

What's the order of learning the verbs of motion at A1-A2 levels?

Firstly, you start with four of them: ИДТИ – ХОДИТЬ, ЕХАТЬ -ЕЗДИТЬ. Then you might add perfective forms of ИДТИ, ЕХАТЬ: ПОЙТИ, ПОЕХАТЬ. You can also learn some other movements except walking and going by transport: ЛЕТЕТЬ – ЛЕТАТЬ (to fly), БЕЖАТЬ – БЕГАТЬ (to run), ПЛЫТЬ – ПЛАВАТЬ (to swim).

When you are done with that you can move one to transitive verbs of motion: НЕСТИ – НОСИТЬ, ВЕСТИ – ВОДИТЬ, ВЕЗТИ – ВОЗИТЬ.

Finally move one to verbs of motion with prefixes, which are the hardest, because their logic is different, you do not longer care if motion is multidirectional or not. The prefix does everything for you. So you use the verbs of motion with prefixes the same way as any other verb – imperfective or perfective.

What are the most useful verbs of motion? Is there a rule about which verb to use in which tense?

Yes. You can just remember the rule below, it will make your using verbs of motion much easier!


Past:
Он пошёл / она пошла / они пошли (or поехал / поехала / поехали) – use it to talk about going to many places one after another:

Сначала я пошёл в аптеку, потом пошёл в театр, а потом пошёл домой.

Он ходил / она ходила / они ходили (or ездил / ездила / ездили) – going to just one place and then coming back home:

Вчера я ходил в аптеку.


Present:
Идти (or ехать) – for going somewhere right now, at the moment:

– Привет, Катя! Куда ты идёшь?

– Я иду в магазин.

Ходить (or ездить) – for going somewhere regularly (every day / often / usually…):

Я каждый день хожу на работу.


Future:
Идти (ехать) in present form is used to show a 100% plan for the future, if you are really sure that you are going to do it:

После урока я иду в кафе.

Пойти (поехать) probable event, that might happen, but it's not for sure:

Завтра я, может быть, пойду в библиотеку.



What are the most useful phrases to ask for directions?

Как пройти (проехать) + в/на + Accusative case – How can I get to…?

Как дойти (доехать) + до + Genitive case – How can I get to…?

Как попасть + в/на + Accusative case – How can I get to…?

Как добраться + в/на + Accusative case (or до + Genitive case) – How can I get to…?

Идите прямо – Go straight

Поверните направо – Turn right

Поверните налево – Turn left

Перейдите дорогу – Cross the road


Enjoy the video, which was made by the foreign students themselves, including writing the script (no teacher's help was used!)
Want to speak Russian as good as the main character in the video Michael? Come to Petrozavodsk "Enjoy Russian" Language School!