Verbs of movement and action act as the building blocks of dynamic expression in Russian. They empower us to convey the intricate dance of movement and action that permeates our daily lives, allowing for a deeper understanding of the stories we tell and the connections we form.
Imagine trying to recount a thrilling adventure without the ability to describe the swiftness of running, the gracefulness of dancing, or the excitement of traveling. Without the proper command of verbs like “идти” (to go), “бежать” (to run), or “путешествовать” (to travel), the vividness and richness of your narrative might diminish, leading to potential misinterpretation or a lackluster portrayal of your experiences.
In this article, I’ll walk you through an extensive list of verbs of movement and action, unraveling their meanings, pronunciation and typical usage patterns.
Here it is.
ходить/идти [hadeet’/eettee] – go by foot, walk
See Also: Difference between идти, ходить, приходить, уходить, заходить
ездить/ехать [yezdeet’/yehat] – go by vehicle
летать/лететь [lyetat’/lyetyet’] – fly
плавать/плыть [plavat’/plit] – swim, float
гулять [goolyat] – walk, stroll, have a walk / stroll
шагать [shagat’] – step, walk (perfective шагнуть)
кататься [katatsa] – ride (for fun)
двигаться [dveegatsa] / шевелить [shevyeleet] – move (oneself)
двигать [dveegat’] / шевелить [shevyeleetsa] – move (something/someone)
передвигать [pyeryedveegat’] – move (something/someone)
прыгать [prigat’] – jump (perfective прыгнуть)
Дети радостно прыгали вокруг дерева. – The children joyfully bounced around the tree.
Мальчик прыгнул через забор. – The boy jumped over the fence.
Кот прыгнул со стола на пол. – The cat jumped from the table to the floor.
скакать [skakat’] – jump, skip (perfective скакнуть)
The verb “скакать” specifically refers to the action of jumping or bouncing in a rhythmic or repeated manner. It often implies a regular, controlled, or even playful form of movement. “Скакать” is typically associated with actions like prancing, hopping, or bouncing, such as a horse galloping or a person jumping on a trampoline.
Examples:
Лошадь радостно скакала по полям. – The horse happily galloped across the fields.
Маленький кенгуру скачет по своему вольеру. – The little kangaroo jumps around its enclosure.
тянуть [teenoot’] – pull, drag, draw
тянуться [teenootsa] – reach, extend, stretch
Рука невольно тянется к телефону. – The hand involuntarily reaches out to the phone.
толкать [talkat’] – push (perf. толкнуть)
бить [beet’] – beat, hit
ударять [oodaryat’] – hit, strike, punch (perf. ударить)
стучать / стукнуть [stoochat’/stooknoot’] – knock, bang, hammer
давить [daveet’] – weigh (upon), push, press, crush (perf. раздавить, задавить)
Ты давишь изнутри, я буду давить снаружи. – You push from the inside, I’ll push from the outside.
Похоже, кто-то раздавил его каблуком. – Looks like someone crushed it with his heel.
давить на газ – to push the accelerator
нажимать [nazheemat’] – push, press (perf. нажать)
нажимать на кнопку – to push the button
сжимать [zzheemat’] – squeeze, constrict (perf. сжать)
прижимать [preezheemat’] – push, press (perf. прижать)
“Прижимать” emphasizes the action of pressing something firmly and bringing two surfaces closer together with continuous pressure. It often implies a more persistent and prolonged application of pressure. It can also convey the idea of securing or fastening something tightly.
Example:
Она прижимала крышку коробки, чтобы ничего не высыпалось. – She was pressing the box lid to prevent anything from falling out.
брать [brat’] – take (perf. взять)
давать [davat’] – give (perf. дать)
передавать [pyeryedavat’] – pass, hand (over), transfer (perf. передать)
носить / нести [naseet’/nyestee] – carry, bear
таскать / тащить [taskat’/tashcheet’] – carry, drag
класть [lazhit’] – put, place (perf. положить)
вставать [fstavat’] – stand up, get up (perf. встать)
поднимать [padneemat’] – lift, raise, pick up (perf. поднять)
подниматься [padneematsa] – go up, rise (perf. подняться)
падать [padat’] – fall
See Also: 25 Most Common Russian Verbs You Should Know
бросать [brasat’] – throw, toss (perf. бросить)
кидать [keedat’] – throw, toss (perf. кинуть)
наступать [nastoopat’] – tread / step (on) (perf. наступить)
пинать [peenat’] – kick (perf. пнуть)
поворачивать [pavaracheevat’] – turn, rotate (perf. повернуть)
поворачиваться [pavaracheevatsa] – turn oneself (perf. повернуться)
переворачивать [pyeryevaracheevat’] – turn over, flip (perf. перевернуть)
переворачиваться [pyeryevaracheevat’] – roll over, turn yourself over, flip (perf. перевернуться)
сворачивать [svaracheevat’] – swerve, fold (perf. свернуть)
Он свернул бумаги и бросил их на стол. – He folded the papers and threw them onto the table.
разворачивать [razvaracheevat’] – unroll, turn, unfold (perf. развернуть)
оборачиваться [abaracheevatsa] – turn around (perf. обернуться)
качать [kachat’] – rock, swing
качать ребёнка – rock a baby
Вы можете качать головой сколько угодно. – You can nod your head all you wish.
качаться [kachatsa] – rock, swing (oneself)
болтать [baltat’] – dangle
болтать ногами – dangle one’s legs
У вас на рубашке пуговица болтается. – There’s a loose button on your shirt.
крутить [krooteet’] – twist, spin, rotate (something)
крутиться [krooteetsa] – twist, spin, rotate (oneself)
трясти [tryastee] – shake
трястись [tryastees’] – shake, tremble (oneself)
дрожать [drazhat’] – tremble, shiver (perf. дрогнуть)
кивать [keevat’] – nod (perf. кивнуть)
махать [mahat’] – wave
хлопать [hlopat’] clap, slam, slap
гнуть [gnoot] – bend, curve (something/someone)
сгибать [zgeebat’] – bend, curve (perf. согнуть)
разгибать [razgeebat’] – unbend (perf. разогнуть)
выпрямлять [vipryamlyat’] – straighten (perf. выпрямить)
Выпрями спину! – Straighten your back!
выпрямляться [vipryamlyatsa] – straighten up, become straight (perf. выпрямиться)
стоять [stayat] – stand
сидеть [seedyet’] – sit
садиться [sadeetsa] – sit down (perf. сесть)
лежать [lyezhat’] – lie
ложиться [lazheetsa] – lie down (perf. лечь)
спать [spat’] – sleep
Here’s a video for you where you can not only hear the words I listed but also see all the actions being performed.
Verbs of movement and action encompass more than mere transportation from one place to another; they encapsulate the very essence of human experience. Hope this list was helpful for you. Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section.