Thread: Confused with verbs of motion

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'm getting a bit confused dealing with the following: "Я шёл, Я ходил, Я пошёл".

I understand that "Я шёл" means that I went on foot from point A to B once.

I understand that "Я ходил" means that I travelled on foot and returned, went in many directions, or do so regularly.

I don't know when to say "Я пошёл". Other than the fact that it's the perfective, I can't figure out when I would say it instead of the other two.

Thanks.

Я пошёл - I began walking somewhere.

Yeah пошёл means started walking (but didn't finish). If you say that in regard to your current actions this means "I'm leaving" -- to the groceries for example. If you refer to something in the past it sounds like you're going to tell a story when something happened on the way somewhere.
It's like "Однажды в России я пошёл в магазин. По пути мне попался добрый медведь, который пил водку и играл на балалайке".

So to sum up,

I went to work every morning = Я ходил на работу каждое утро

I went to work = Я шёл на работу

I began walking to work = Я пошёл на работу

Am I right? If not please correct me

Originally Posted by kirby42

So to sum up,

I went to work every morning = Я ходил на работу каждое утро

I went to work = Я шёл на работу > I was walking/ on my way to work. If you want to say "went to work" I think you'd have to use a prefixed verb, e.g. я ушел на работу. I left for work.

I began walking to work = Я пошёл на работу also = I set off [walking].
Remember in The Cookoo where the Russian soldier responds Пoшёл ты! when the Finn asks him his name. It means Get outta here! or Go to hell!

Am I right? If not please correct me

hope this helps.

Let me intervene for a moment.
I wonder, is it possible to say:

1) Я пошёл на работу --> I have left for work
2) Я шёл на работу --> I was going to work