28.2 Verbs of Motion (ходити – їздити)

28.2 Verbs of Motion (ходити – їздити)

In this module, you will continue to learn how verbs of motion work in Ukrainian. You will become familiar with when and how to use two more verbs of motion, ходи́ти and ї́здити.

Завдання 1

Read the conversation below and mark all verbs of motion. Then answer the questions that follow.

Важли́во!

Besides the verbs іти́ and ї́хати, Ukrainian has another pair of motion verbs that express the same distinction between going on foot and going by vehicle—ходи́ти and ї́здити. Like іти́, ходи́ти refers to going on foot or to an event/cultural place when it does not matter how one is getting there. Like ї́хати, ї́здити refers to going by any kind of ground transportation and is always used in sentences about going to a different town, region, etc.

Іти́ and ї́хати are called “unidirectional” verbs whereas ходи́ти and ї́здити are called “multidirectional” verbs. These terms give a clue about the use of these verbs. Unidirectional verbs refer to motion in one specific direction, which is, was, or will be in progress (see module 28.1 for examples of usage of іти́ and ї́хати in all three tenses). The multidirectional ходи́ти and ї́здити refer to several different types of motion actions (to be explained below), which are not limited to a single specific direction.

All four verbs (іти́, ї́хати, ходи́ти, and ї́здити) are imperfective and can denote actions in the past, present, or future tenses. In the present tense, the verbs ходи́ти and ї́здити conjugate like сиді́ти, which means that both have consonant mutations in the first person singular:

ходи́ти ї́здити
яходжу́ї́жджу
тихо́дишї́здиш
він/вона́/воно́ хо́дитьї́здить
михо́димої́здимо
вихо́дитеї́здите
вони́ хо́дятьї́здять

Note the exceptional я form of ї́здити!

The forms of ходи́ти and ї́здити in the past and future tenses are regular.

Завдання 2

Which of the habits described will get your body moving and benefit your health? Mark each statement of habit you hear as either Це до́бре! (That’s good!) or Це не ду́же до́бре. (That’s not very good).

Важли́во!

The multidirectional ходи́ти and ї́здити are used for habitual actions since these involve moving to and from a place many times (hence, in more than one direction):

Ми ча́сто хо́димо в теа́тр.
(We often go to the theater.)

Вони́ ніко́ли не ї́здять на мо́ре.
(They never go to the seaside. – negation of a habitual action)

Завдання 3

Complete the sentences below by providing the most appropriate verbs of motion. Then answer the question that follows.

girl crouching on a cliff looking down.

Завдання 4

For each of the actions below, indicate which of the adverbs could be added to the sentence:
ча́сто or сього́дні. Pay close attention to whether the motion verb is uni- or multidirectional to help you decide on the appropriate adverb.

Ціка́во!

Besides habitual actions, the multidirectional ходи́ти and ї́здити can also express motion without a single specific direction—either aimless or in multiple directions:

Бабу́ся вже до́вго хо́дить по па́рку.
(Grandma has been walking around the park for a long time.)

Ми вже годи́ну ї́здимо по ву́лицях мі́ста і шука́ємо на́шого соба́ку.
(We’ve been driving up and down the streets of the town for an hour already, looking for our dog.)

This is in contrast to the unidirectional verbs, which express motion in one specific direction:

Він іде́ в університе́т че́рез парк.
(He is walking to the university through the park.)

Завдання 5

Select the most appropriate ending for each sentence about Maria below. Pay close attention to multi- and unidirectional verbs, as well as to the distinction between walking and going by vehicle.

Завдання 6

Select the best caption for each image. Pay close attention to multi- and unidirectional verbs, as well as to the distinction between walking and going by vehicle.

Завдання 7

Read the conversation below and mark all verbs of motion. Then answer the questions that follow.

Ціка́во!

The multidirectional verbs ходи́ти and ї́здити are also used to denote round trips—going somewhere and coming back, which is technically motion in two directions. Both verbs are often used in the past in sentences about places or events to which someone has been:

Ти ходи́в на ле́кцію вчо́ра?
(Have you been to the lecture yesterday?)

В субо́ту батьки́ ї́здили на да́чу.
(Parents have visited the dacha on Saturday.)

Завдання 8

For each fragment of text you hear, indicate whether it refers to a trip in one direction only (undirectional) or to a round trip (multidirectional).

Важли́во!

Finally, the multidirectional verbs ходи́ти and ї́здити are used to refer to the action in general, such as in sentences about liking or knowing how to do something:

Ти вмі́єш ї́здити на сноубо́рді?
(Do you know how to snowboard?)

Я ду́же люблю́ ходи́ти пі́шки.
(I really like walking.)

Завдання 9

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate verbs from the bank.

Завдання 10

Read the conversation below and fill in the blanks with the most appropriate verbs from the bank.

Мовний пазл

А тепер тест!

Complete the dialogue below by providing the appropriate forms of іти́, ї́хати, ходи́ти, and ї́здити. Pay close attention to the context to figure out which verb to use and in what tense, person, and number to put it.