проходить vs пройти

prokhodit vs proyti — pass/go through regularly vs pass/go through once

What it really means

Проходи́ть is imperfective and пройти́ is perfective. They can mean go past or through a place, take or undergo an exam or course, or take a certain amount of time. Пройти marks one route, test, or stage as completed. For pass an exam successfully, the standard verb is сдать.

Examples in natural speech

Я прохожу мимо этого дома каждый день.
I pass this house every day.
Курс проходит онлайн.
The course takes place online.
Пройдите прямо и поверните налево.
Go straight ahead and turn left.
Она успешно прошла тестирование.
She successfully completed the testing.
Мы прошли через парк.
We went through the park.

Common mistakes

Проходить is not only “walk through.” Экзамен проходит means the exam is taking place. Пройти экзамен usually means undergo or complete it; use сдать экзамен when the important meaning is pass successfully.

Memory tip

Про- goes through a route, event, or test; пройти completes the passage.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say pass an exam?

Say сдать экзамен. Пройти экзамен usually means undergo, take, or complete the exam; успешно пройти makes a successful outcome explicit.

What does проходит mean about an event?

It means takes place: встреча проходит в офисе.

What is the aspect difference?

Проходить is ongoing, regular, or general; пройти is one completed passage, course, or test.

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