Etymologically
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идти

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Pronunciation

  • [ɪˈtʲːi][1]

Forms

идти́ (idtí) impf (perfective пойти́)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old East Slavic ити (iti), from Proto-Slavic *jьti (“to go”), first person singular *jьdǫ.[1][2][3] The verb is common Slavic: Old Church Slavonic ити (iti), Ukrainian іти (ity), Bulgarian ида (ida, “I come”), Czech jít and Polish iść.[2][4] The ⟨-д-⟩ of the present stem was at first a formant, as in еду and кладу.[2][3] The infinitive spelled ⟨идти⟩ is found from the 14th century and took its ⟨д⟩ from ⟨иду⟩, ⟨идёшь⟩; the old infinitive survives in the prefixed verbs зайти, найти and уйти.[3][5][1]

The verb continues the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *ei- (“to go”), which was athematic.[3][5][2] Its cognates include Lithuanian eiti, Latvian iet, Old Prussian ēit (“goes”), Sanskrit एति (éti, “goes”), Avestan aēiti, Ancient Greek εἶμι (eîmi), Latin eō (“I go”) and Gothic 𐌹𐌳𐌳𐌾𐌰 (iddja, “went”).[2][4] Kretschmer thought the root was based on an interjection ⟨ei!⟩.[2]

The past tense ⟨шёл⟩, Old Russian шьлъ (šĭlŭ), comes from a different stem, that of ходить and ход, from the root *sed-;[6] Wiktionary gives it as *šьdlъ.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Izbornik of 1076 has „на вьсякомъ мѣстѣ иде же идеши или сядеши” “in every place where thou goest or sittest”.[7] Chernykh dates ити, first person иду, in Old Russian from the 11th century.[3]

Semantic evolution

From walking on foot the verb spread early to any movement: SlRJa XI–XVII quotes ice moving out of a lake (1406), travel by sea in Afanasy Nikitin's journey (1472) and armies marching на Русь against Rus' (a 12th-century text in a later copy).[7] The challenge иду на вы “I am coming against you” is quoted from the chronicles.[7]

Modern Russian uses it also for clocks that run, rain and snow that fall, time that passes, clothes that suit, and goods that sell.[8][5] Folk speech has the infinitive итить.[2]

Timeline

  • 1076 – идеши “thou goest” in the Izbornik of 1076.[7]
  • 14th century – the infinitive spelled идти.[3][5]
  • 1406 – иде ледъ “the ice moved” in the Novgorod First Chronicle.[7]
  • 1472 – ити моремъ “to go by sea” in Afanasy Nikitin's journey.[7]
  • 1654 – шел ... войною “marched to war” in an Astrakhan document.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To walk, to go on foot.[8][1]
  2. To move, travel: of a train, ice on a river, clouds.[8]
  3. To set out, go somewhere: to go for a walk, to go to war.[8]
  4. To take up something, to enter: to go into science, to become someone's pupil.[8]
  5. (of a mechanism) To run, to work.[8][1]
  6. (of rain or snow) To fall.[8][1]
  7. (of clothes) To suit, become someone.[5][1]

Word family

  • пойти
  • войти
  • выйти
  • дойти
  • зайти
  • найти
  • обойти
  • отойти
  • перейти
  • подойти
  • прийти
  • пройти
  • уйти
  • пошлина
  • ходить
  • ход
  • Old East Slavic ити (iti)

Usage notes

Идти is imperfective; its perfective is пойти.[1] Its past tense is шёл, шла, шло, the past participle шедший.[8][9] The spelling итти was also used.[1][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 117–118
  3. ^ a b c d e f Chernykh, P. Ya. (1993), Istoriko-ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Историко-этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. 1, s.v. идти
  4. ^ a b Shansky, N. M.; Zhuravlev, A. F. (eds.) (1963–2007), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka [Этимологический словарь русского языка], vols. 1–10 (A–M), Moskva: Izdatel'stvo Moskovskogo universiteta, p. 7, s.v. идти
  5. ^ a b c d e Shaposhnikov, A. K. (2010), Ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Flinta / Nauka, p. 1, 335
  6. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 252–253
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Barkhudarov, S. G. et al. (eds.) (1975–), Slovar' russkogo jazyka XI–XVII vv. [Словарь русского языка XI–XVII вв.], vols. 1–31, Moskva: Nauka / Azbukovnik / Lexrus, p. 6, 356
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. идти
  9. ^ Evgen'eva, A. P. (ed.) (1981–1984), Slovar' russkogo jazyka v četyrex tomax [Словарь русского языка в 4 тт.] (MAS), 2nd ed., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. s.v. идти
  10. ^ Sorokin, Yu. S. et al. (eds.) (1984–), Slovar' russkogo jazyka XVIII veka [Словарь русского языка XVIII века], vols. 1–24, Leningrad / Sankt-Peterburg: Nauka, p. s.v. идти