Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| води́ть | vodítʹ | abstract, imperfective, transitive |
| вести́ | vestí | concrete, imperfective, transitive |
| е́хать | jéxatʹ | concrete, imperfective, intransitive |
| е́здить | jézditʹ | abstract, imperfective, intransitive |
води́ть is about being the one behind the wheel, being able to drive or driving regularly. For a car being driven right now, Russians say the driver ведёт машину, from вести́.
Which one should you use?
е́хать and е́здить mean to go by vehicle, whether or not you are the driver. е́хать is one trip in one direction, while е́здить is for repeated or round trips. Я езжу на машине means I go by car. A computer drive is накопи́тель or дисково́д.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Я вожу машину uses the I form of води́ть. With the formal you it is Вы водите машину.
How do you pronounce it?
Following the romanization vodítʹ, the stress falls on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use водить when they only mean they are going somewhere by car. Use е́хать or е́здить for the trip and keep водить for operating the car.
Did you know?
- The verb вести́ is used not only for driving a car but also for 'conducting' a conversation or 'managing' a game of chess.
- Because the verbs for travel like е́хать focus on the movement of the vehicle rather than the driver, a passenger can say they are 'driving' to a destination.
- If you say Я веду without specifying a car, a Russian listener might assume you are leading a procession or a group of people.
Examples in context
- Я часто вожу машину в городе.I often drive in the city.
- Когда путешествую по России, всегда езжу на машине.When I travel around Russia, I always drive a car.
- Сегодня твоя очередь водить машину.Today it's your turn to drive the car.
- Она умеет хорошо води́ть машину.Ona umeyet khorosho vodit' mashinu.She knows how to drive a car well.
- Мой брат любит води́ть грузовик.Moy brat lyubit vodit' gruzovik.My brother likes to drive a truck.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing driving skills.
- Анастасия AnastasiaДмитрий, ты умеешь води́ть?Dmitriy, ty umeyesh' vodit'?Dmitry, do you know how to drive?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, я вожу машину уже пять лет.Da, ya vozhu mashinu uzhe pyat' let.Yes, I have been driving a car for five years.
- Анастасия AnastasiaЭто очень полезный навык.Eto ochen' poleznyy navyk.That is a very useful skill.
- Дмитрий DmitryТы тоже хочешь научиться?Ty tozhe khochesh' nauchit'sya?Do you also want to learn?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drive” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
