< Vocabulary 14—Verb Prefixes
< Vocabulary 14—Verb Prefixes
Russians put prefixes on their verbs in order to create new meanings or shades of meaning. If you learn the meanings of the most common prefixes, you will often be able to guess what a familiar verb means with a different prefix. In the table below we show some common prefixes and how they alter the meanings of verbs.
The use of prefixes is so popular that some verbs are seldom or never used without them. Where this is the case in standard modern Russian, we note it below.
The verb prefixes can also sometimes be used with nouns and adjectives, especially if these are derived from verbs.
| Prefix | New Meaning Imparted | Examples |
| в-/во- | entry into an enclosed space |
идти—to walk in a certain direction войти—to enter an enclosed space душа—soul воодушевить—to inspire, to enthuse |
| вос- | a rising up, an ascending |
стать—to stand восстать—to rise up (in the sense of rebel) питать—to nourish воспитать—to rear (a child for example) становиться—to become восстановить—to restore, rebuild |
| вы- | an emergence from an enclosed space |
идти—to walk in a certain direction выйти—to exit an enclosed space лезть—to crawl вылезть—to crawl out копать—to dig выкопать—to dig out |
| за- | a moving off to one side |
идти—to walk in a certain direction зайти—to turn aside, to make a stop during a journey ложить—to lay (use without a prefix is non-standard) заложить—to set aside, to pile up, to pawn заложник—a hostage менять—to change заменить—to replace |
| из-/ис- | an exhausting |
черпать—to dip in a container and draw out liquid исчерпывать—to get out everything possible полный—round, fat, full исполнить—to fulfill теребить—to pull at something, to pluck истребить—to annihilate следовать—to follow исследовать—to study thoroughly, to investigate носить—to care, to wear износиться—to become worn out вращать—to rotate извращать—to subvert извращение—a perversion |
| на- | a falling or placement upon something |
идти—to walk in a certain direction найти—to find пасть—to fall напасть—to attack строить—to build, to set in order настроить—to prepare for use, adjust, configure стоять—to stand настоящий—actual сорить—to toss litter насори́ть—to cover in litter |
| о-/об- | a going around, a visiting of all sides |
идти—to walk in a certain direction обойти—to bypass, to walk around жигать—to burn something (archaic without prefix) обжигать—to scorch, to singe круг—a circle окружной—encircling нять—to take (dialectal without any prefix) обнять—to embrace |
| от-/ото- | a moving back |
идти—to walk in a certain direction отойти—to step back печать—a seal, a stamp отпечатать—to print слать—to send отослать—to send away |
| пере- | a moving through |
брать—to pick up перебрать—to sort out пугать—to try to frighten, to threaten перепугать—to thoroughly frighten править—to lead, to rule переправа—a river ford |
| по- | to some extent |
кушать—to eat покушать—to have something to eat бегать—to run побег—an escape низкий—low понизиться—to debase oneself |
| под- | a placing under something |
строить—to build, to set up подстроить—to arrange for something to happen нять—to take (dialectal without any prefix) поднять—to raise рыть—to burrow дрыть—to undermine |
| при- | a bringing or coming near, an attaching |
близить—to bring near (rare without prefix) приблизить—to bring near идти—to walk in a certain direction прийти—to arrive нять—to take (dialectal without any prefix) принять—accept, adopt |
| пре- | a going too far |
дать—to give предать—to betray ступить—to step преступить—to violate преступление—a crime действовать—to act прелюбодействовать—to commit adultery деяние—an act прелюбодеяние—adultery |
| про- | a passing along or through |
водить—to lead проводить—to conduct along a course провод—an electrical conductor расти—to grow произрастать—to raise (a plant for instance) |
| раз-/рас- | a distribution or scattering |
носить—to carry разносить—to deliver to multiple locations бросать—to throw разбросать—to scatter водить—to lead разводиться—to divorce глас—voice разгласить—to announce to a wide audience точить—to wear down расточительство—profligacy кладывать—to lay (archaic without prefix) раскладывать—to set up, to spread out |
| c-/со- | a descent or a coming together |
ехать—to travel by vehicle съехать—to leave a road идти—to walk in a certain direction сойти—to go down (such as to the town) ставить—to place something in an upright position составить—to compose, to assemble кладывать—to lay (rare without prefix) складывать—to fold близить—to bring near (archaic without prefix) сблизить—to bring together |
| у- | a departing or putting away |
идти—to walk in a certain direction уйти—to depart on foot кладывать—to lay (rare without prefix) укладывать—to put into storage становиться—to become установить—to set up, to establish |