Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "to go (on foot)" 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.

ходить

Meaning: to go (on foot), walk, move, visit, attend, wear

Pronunciation: [khah-DEET']

Part of speech: verb (imperfective aspect)

Rank: #247 (see frequency list)

Example sentences:

В выходны́е мы обы́чно хо́дим в теа́тр и́ли в кино́.
On weekends we usually go to the theater or to the cinema.
На рабо́ту я всегда́ хожу́ пешко́м.
I always go to work on foot.
Вчера́ я пло́хо себя́ чу́вствовал, поэ́тому не ходи́л в университе́т.
Yesterday I was unwell, so I didn't go to university.
Вы уже́ ходи́ли на э́ту вы́ставку?
Have you already been to this exhibition?
literal Have you already gone to this exhibition?
Ты всегда́ хо́дишь в очка́х?
Do you always wear glasses?
literal Do you always go in glasses?
В волне́нии Али́са вста́ла и начала́ ходи́ть по ко́мнате.
In agitation Alice got up and started to walk around the room.
Наш сын уже́ хо́дит.
Our son can already walk.
Э́ти часы́ не хо́дят. Их ну́жно почини́ть.
This watch doesn't work. It needs to be repaired.
literal These watches don't go. They need to be repaired.
Не ходи́ туда́, там опа́сно!
Don't go there, it's dangerous (there)!
По газо́нам не ходи́ть!
Keep off the grass!
literal Don't walk on grass!

Idioms and set expressions:

ходи́ть пешко́м = to walk on foot
ходи́ть босико́м = to walk barefoot
ходи́ть взад и вперёд = to walk to and fro (up and down)
literal to walk backwards and forwards
ходи́ть по магази́нам = to go shopping
literal to go around shops
ходи́ть в го́сти = to come round, to come to visit
ходи́ть го́голем (col.) = to strut (about)
ходи́ть по́д руку = to walk arm in arm
ходи́ть за ке́м-то как тень = to follow somebody like a shadow
literal to go after somebody like a shadow
ходи́ть за ке́м-то по пята́м = to follow on somebody's heels / to tread on somebody's heels / to hook oneself on to somebody
literal to go after somebody by their heels
ходи́ть вокру́г да о́коло = to beat about the bush
literal to go around and near
ходи́ть по́ миру = to beg, be a beggar; live by begging
literal to go around the world
ходи́ть на за́дних ла́пках (пе́ред ке́м-то) = to dance attendance (upon smb) / to jump through the hoops (for smb) / to judge fawn (over smb)
literal to go on hind legs
ходи́ть по рука́м = to pass from hand to hand, to go around
literal to go around hands
ходи́ть на голове́ (col.) = to stand on one’s head
literal to go on head
ходи́ть по стру́нке = to toe the mark (line)
literal to go along the string
(за приме́рами) далеко́ ходи́ть не на́до = one doesn't have to look / go far (for examples)
literal you don’t need to go far for examples
хо́дят слу́хи = rumors are flying around
literal rumors go

Related words:

идти́ = to go, to walk
походи́ть = to go (for a while)
ход = motion, run, move
ходьба́ = walking, pacing
похо́дка = gait, walk, step

Proverbs and sayings:

Волко́в боя́ться – в лес не ходи́ть.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
literal To be afraid of wolves is to not go to the forest.
Беда́ в одино́чку не хо́дит.
Misfortunes never come singly (alone). / It never rains but it pours.
literal Misfortune never goes alone.
В чужо́й монасты́рь со свои́м уста́вом не хо́дят.
When in Rome do as the Romans do.
literal They don’t go to an unknown monastery with their regulations.
Сапо́жник хо́дит без сапо́г.
The cobbler's (shoemaker’s) wife is the worst shod (goes barefoot).
literal The cobbler (shoemaker) walks without high boots.
Пова́дился кувши́н по́ воду ходи́ть, там ему́ и го́лову сложи́ть (сломи́ть).
The pitcher goes often to the well but is broken at last. / The pitcher goes so often to the well that it leaves its handle (mouth).

Verb conjugation:

Present Tense

I	хожу́
you (singular)	хо́дишь
he, she, it	хо́дит
we	хо́дим
you (plural)	хо́дите
they	хо́дят

Past Tense

I, you (singular), he	ходи́л
she	ходи́ла
it	ходи́ло
we, you (plural), they	ходи́ли

Future Simple Tense

The imperfective verb ходить is not used in the Future Simple Tense. Use the perfective verb пойти instead.

Future Compound Tense

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

Imperative Mood (Command Form)

you (singular)	ходи́
you (plural)	ходи́те

View full conjugation table for the verb pair ходить/пойти

Vocabulary lesson: By RT: Learn Russian 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.

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