In Russian, there are two key ways to talk about actions: perfective and imperfective.

This blog post will focus on two verbs: "ходить" (to go regularly) and "сходить" (to go one time). These verbs help us see the difference between doing something often and just once.

What Are Aspectual Pairs?

Aspectual pairs are two verbs that have similar meanings but show different ideas about actions.

• Imperfective Aspect: This shows actions that are ongoing, repeated, or happen regularly.
• Perfective Aspect: This shows actions that are completed or seen as a whole.

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1. Ходить (Imperfective)

• Meaning: "Ходить" means doing something regularly or repeatedly. It describes actions that happen over time.

• Usage: Use "ходить" when you want to say that someone goes to a place often.

Examples:

• Я ходю в спортзал три раза в неделю. (I go to the gym three times a week.)
• Она ходит на занятия по английскому языку. (She goes to English classes.)

Key Point: Use "ходить" to show that an action happens regularly.

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2. Сходить (Perfective)

• Meaning: "Сходить" means a one-time action that has a clear end. It is used for actions that are completed after going somewhere.

• Usage: Use "сходить" when you want to show you will leave and come back from a place.

Examples:

• Я сходил в магазин. (I went [and came back] to the store.)
• Мы сходим на концерт в субботу. (We will go [and return] to the concert on Saturday.)

Key Point: Use "сходить" when you are talking about a single completed action.

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Key Differences Between Ходить and Сходить

| Aspectual Pair | Type of Action | Frequency | Completion | |----------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------| | Ходить | Habitual | Often | Ongoing | | Сходить | One-time | Rare | Completed |

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Tips for Using in Daily Conversations

1. Think About Context: Decide between "ходить" and "сходить" based on what you are talking about. Is it something regular or a one-time trip?

2. Use Time Words: Certain time words can help explain what you mean:

   • For regular actions, use "каждый день" (every day) or "раз в неделю" (once a week) with "ходить."
   • For one-time actions, use "вчера" (yesterday) or "завтра" (tomorrow) with "сходить."

Practice Sentences

Change the verbs in these sentences to use the right one:

1. Я (поехать) в библиотеку на выходных. (I will go to the library this weekend.)

   • Correct verb: сходить
   • Completed version: Я сходил в библиотеку на выходных. (I went to the library this weekend.)

2. Он (прийти) домой каждый вечер. (He comes home every evening.)

   • Correct verb: ходить
   • Completed version: Он ходит домой каждый вечер. (He goes home every evening.)

Conclusion

By understanding when to use "ходить" and "сходить," you can clearly express regular and completed actions in Russian. Keep practicing these verbs with time markers to improve your speaking and understanding. Using these verbs will make it easier for you to communicate in Russian.