Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "run" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

бежать

Meaning: run, hurry

Pronunciation: [bee-ZHAT']

Part of speech: verb (imperfective aspect)

Rank: #441 (see frequency list)

The sportswoman was running a 100-metre sprint.
Photo by sunnehh CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Кудá ты бежи́шь?
Where are you running?
Врéмя бежи́т.
Time flies.
literal Time runs.
Почтальóн бежáл по у́лице.
A postman was running along the street.
Беги́ за врачóм: дéдушке плóхо.
Hurry up to the doctors, grandad is feeling badly.
literal Run for a doctor, grandad is feeling badly.
Не беги́ так: я за тобóй не успевáю!
Don't go so fast, I сan't keep up with you!
literal Don't run like that, I сan't keep up with you!
Cпортсмéнка бежáла стометрóвку.
The sportswoman was running a 100-metre sprint.
Престу́пник реши́л бежáть за грани́цу.
The criminal decided to escape abroad.
Под горóй бежáла рéчка.
The river was running under the mountain.
За óкнами бегу́т поля́ и лесá.
Fields and woods are passing quickly outside the windows.
literal Behind the windows, fields and woods are running.
Он бежáл лю́дных мест.
He tried to avoid crowded places.
literal He ran [away from] crowded places.
Как бы́стро бежи́т вре́мя!
How fast time flies!
literal How fast time runs!

Idioms and set expressions:

бежáть во весь опóр = run at breakneck pace
бежáть изо всех ног = run for one's [dear] life
literal run with all the legs
бежáть сломя́ гóлову = run as fast as one's legs
literal run breaking one's head
бежáть впереди́ паровóза = jump the gun
literal run before the train
врéмя бежи́т = time flies
literal time runs
бежáть из тюрьмы́ = break out of prison
literal run from prison

Related words:

бéгать = to run
бег = a run, running, race
бéгство = an escape
бегу́н = a runner
идти́ = to go on foot

Proverbs and sayings:

Без прáвды жить - с бéла свéта бежáть.
If you lead an untruthful life, you won't live long.

Verb conjugation:

Present Tense

I	бегу́
you (singular)	бежи́шь
he, she, it	бежи́т
we	бежи́м
you (plural)	бежи́те
they	бегу́т

Past Tense

I, you (singular), he	бежа́л
she	бежа́ла
it	бежа́ло
we, you (plural), they	бежа́ли

Future Simple Tense

The imperfective verb бежать is not used in the Future Simple Tense. Use the perfective verb побежать instead.

Future Compound Tense

I	буду бежа́ть
you (singular)	будешь бежа́ть
he, she, it	будет бежа́ть
we	будем бежа́ть
you (plural)	будете бежа́ть
they	будут бежа́ть

Imperative Mood (Command Form)

you (singular)	беги́
you (plural)	беги́те

View full conjugation table for the verb pair бежать/побежать

Vocabulary lesson: By Russificate blog exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

Got questions?

Ask them in the Russian Questions and Answers — a place for students, teachers and native Russian speakers to discuss Russian grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of the Russian language.