идти vs ходить vs пойти

idti vs khodit vs poyti — go on foot now vs go regularly/around vs set off once

What it really means

Идти́ is the unidirectional imperfective verb for going on foot in one direction, usually right now: "Я иду́ домой" (I am going home). Ходи́ть is multidirectional: going regularly, going back and forth, or moving around without one specific direction. По́йти is the perfective counterpart that means to set off or go on one particular occasion; it focuses on the start or completion of that trip.

These verbs describe different kinds of motion, not simply three translations of "to go." The prefix по- does not mean that пойти is always past: "Я пойду завтра" means "I will go tomorrow."

Examples in natural speech

Я иду домой.
I am walking home.
Она ходит в бассейн по субботам.
She goes to the swimming pool on Saturdays.
Мы часто ходим по этому парку.
We often walk around this park.
Пойдём в кино вечером?
Shall we go to the cinema this evening?
Он пошёл за хлебом.
He went off to get bread.
Я пойду к врачу завтра.
I will go to the doctor tomorrow.

Common mistakes

Do not use ходить for a trip that is happening in one direction right now: "Я хожу домой" usually means I go home regularly, not that I am walking home now. Do not assume пойти only means past; its future form пойду is common for a single planned trip.

Memory tip

Идти is one direction now, ходить is repeated or back-and-forth, and пойти is setting off once.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between идти, ходить, and пойти in Russian?

Идти means to be going on foot in one direction, ходить means to go regularly or in multiple directions, and пойти means to set off or go on one particular occasion.

How do you say I am going home in Russian?

Say "Я иду домой." Иду describes one current journey on foot. "Я хожу домой" would usually mean I go home regularly.

Is пойти past or future in Russian?

Пойти is perfective, so its forms can refer to a completed past trip or a single future trip: "Он пошёл" (he went) and "Я пойду завтра" (I will go tomorrow).

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