Куда идут ходики

On the two mysterious verbs, "идти" and "ходить"

In Russian, the verbs of motion “идти” and “ходить” both literally mean "to go on foot" or "to walk," but they are used in different contexts based on the nature of the action. Both verbs are imperfective. Let’s start with their basic meanings.

Идти (to go on foot, to walk): Indicates a single, continuous action in progress. It describes someone or something moving in one direction at a specific moment in time.

1. Я иду в магазин. (I am going to the store. I am walking to the store.)
The phrase "Я иду в магазин" can also serve as an announcement, meaning "I am going to go to the store," which is a fixed expression in Russian.

2. Он идёт на работу. (He is going to work. He is walking to work.)

Ходить (also - to go on foot, to walk): Indicates a habitual, repeated action or the ability to go somewhere. It describes someone or something moving to and from a place multiple times.

1. Я хожу в спортзал каждый день. (I go to the gym every day.)

2. Она ходит на рынок по выходным. (She goes to the market on weekends.)

The Russian verbs of motion differ from those in English in that they cannot be translated word for word. For example, we just mentioned the verbs "идти" and "ходить," both of which can be translated as "go." However, the English verb "go" cannot be directly translated back to "идти" or "ходить" in Russian. If the person is traveling by car, the verb "go" would be translated as "ехать" or "ездить." We will return to the various Russian verbs of motion in a later post.

So, what are "ходики," and where do they "go" ("идут")?

"Ходики" is a "plurale tantum," a plural-only noun used to describe a small, old-fashioned, poor man's clock equipped with a pendulum and wound daily by a weight attached to a chain. Probably because of the repetitive left-and-right movement of the pendulum, this type of clock ("часы," another plural-only noun in Russian) has acquired its colloquial name.

And where do they "go"? Now we are entering the realm of fixed expressions using the word "идти." "Часы идут" is one such expression, meaning that the clock is working as intended. Take note: both the noun and verb are plural.
Example: Часы идут, но я не слышу их тиканья. (The clock is running, but I don't hear its ticking.)

Compare this to other languages. The clock's internal mechanical set translates to "механизм" in Russian, but in English, it is referred to as "movement," "mouvement" in French, and "movimento" in Italian and Portuguese, likely due to the repetitive movement of the pendulum inside the clock.

However, the word "часы" also means "hours" in Russian. One may also say "Часы идут," meaning "The hours are passing." So a single fixed expression can convey two different messages.

Часы идут медленно. Надя давно уже встала и давно уже гуляла в саду, а все еще тянется утро. - А. П. Чехов

Past and future tense conjugations, usage with imperatives, and fixed expressions below are available for paid subscribers only.