The Full Motion System
Chapter 4 gave you the doorway five (при-, у-, вы-, в-, за-). Here's the rest of the map — plus the three verbs for moving things and people, including the one that means driving a car.
Four More Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| пере- | across | перейти улицу — cross the street |
| до- | reach, get to | дойти до центра — get to the centre |
| об- | around | обойти лужу — walk around the puddle |
| про- | through / past | пройти мимо — pass by |
Prefix
пере-
Meaning
across
Example
перейти улицу — cross the street
Prefix
до-
Meaning
reach, get to
Example
дойти до центра — get to the centre
Prefix
об-
Meaning
around
Example
обойти лужу — walk around the puddle
Prefix
про-
Meaning
through / past
Example
пройти мимо — pass by
The Figurative Payoff
Prefixed motion goes abstract — and gives you words you use daily:
| Verb | Literally | Means |
|---|---|---|
| перевести | lead across | to translate |
| перейти на «ты» | cross to ty | switch to informal address |
| подойти | come up to | to approach — and to suit: Это мне подойдёт! |
Verb
перевести
Literally
lead across
Means
to translate
Verb
перейти на «ты»
Literally
cross to ty
Means
switch to informal address
Verb
подойти
Literally
come up to
Means
to approach — and to suit: Это мне подойдёт!
The Carrying Triad
Moving something has its own three verbs, split the familiar way:
| Verb | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| нести / носить | carry (by hand) | Я несу тяжёлую сумку. |
| вести / водить | lead (someone walking) | Мама ведёт ребёнка в школу. |
| везти / возить | transport (by vehicle) | Такси везёт нас домой. |
Verb
нести / носить
Means
carry (by hand)
Example
Я несу тяжёлую сумку.
Verb
вести / водить
Means
lead (someone walking)
Example
Мама ведёт ребёнка в школу.
Verb
везти / возить
Means
transport (by vehicle)
Example
Такси везёт нас домой.
Build-a-Verb
Prefix meaning + base meaning = word meaning. You can now decode verbs you've never seen:
| New verb | Parts | So it means… |
|---|---|---|
| унести | у (away) + нести (carry) | carry off |
| привезти | при (arrival) + везти (transport) | bring (by vehicle) |
| довести | до (reach) + вести (lead) | walk someone all the way to |
New verb
унести
Parts
у (away) + нести (carry)
So it means…
carry off
New verb
привезти
Parts
при (arrival) + везти (transport)
So it means…
bring (by vehicle)
New verb
довести
Parts
до (reach) + вести (lead)
So it means…
walk someone all the way to
Том
Бабушка привезла варенье!
Grandma brought jam! (by car — привезла)
Анна
А ты донеси его до кухни, не урони!
Now carry it all the way to the kitchen — don't drop it!
Common Mistakes
- нести for vehicles. The taxi везёт you; you несёте your bag.
- вести машину. Standard is водить машину for the skill; вести машину exists but means this drive, now.
- Ignoring the system. Every new prefixed motion verb is parts you know. Decode before you look up.
What You Can Do Now
You can express any movement — of yourself, of things, of meaning across languages — and decode unseen verbs from their parts. The famous Russian motion system is, at last, fully yours.