When you learn Russian, getting a handle on verb conjugation is really important. This is especially true for tricky verbs like "идти," which means "to go."

Regular verbs follow patterns that make them easier to learn. But "идти" is different. It can be challenging, especially when using the past tense. Knowing how to change "идти" into the past tense will help you understand Russian grammar better.

In Russian, to change a verb into the past tense, you usually change the verb's main part and also adjust the ending. This depends on who or what is doing the action (the subject). Since "идти" is an irregular verb, you need to remember its past tense forms.

Let's look at the past tense forms of "идти":

1. For a Male Subject: "он шёл" - This means "he went."

2. For a Female Subject: "она шла" - This means "she went."

3. For Neuter Subjects: "оно шло" - This is used for things or ideas, meaning "it went."

4. For Plural Subjects: "они шли" - This means "they went," no matter if it's a group of males, females, or both.

Here’s how these forms match up with the subject pronouns:

• "он" for he (masculine)
• "она" for she (feminine)
• "оно" for it (neuter)
• "они" for they (plural)

Now, let's see some complete sentences using these forms:

• Он шёл в магазин. (He went to the store.)
• Она шла по улице. (She went down the street.)
• Оно шло с нами. (It went with us.)
• Они шли вместе. (They went together.)

To really get the hang of using "идти" in the past tense, try practicing these forms by making sentences with different subjects. With time and practice, you’ll find that it gets easier, even if it seems hard at first. Knowing these changes is really important for speaking and understanding Russian!