прийти / приехать

Arrival

Level 3Sounds Like prijti / priehatʹ

The prefix при- indicates arrival ('coming to be here'). Russian distinguishes between arriving on foot (прийти) and arriving by transport (приехать).

How It Works

In Russian, you must specify the mode of transport and the status of the result when describing arrival.

1. The Choice of Verb:

  • прийти / приходить: Used for walking on foot. It is also used for scheduled public transport (train, bus, tram) following a fixed route: Поезд пришёл.
  • приехать / приезжать: Used for a person arriving by vehicle, and for private transport (cars, taxis) even if the vehicle is the subject: Такси приехало.

2. Aspectual Pairs and the 'Annulled Result':

  • Совершенный вид (Perfective): прийти (Past: пришёл), приехать (Past: приехал). Use these when the person has arrived and is still there.
  • Несовершенный вид (Imperfective): приходить, приезжать. Beyond repeated actions, the past tense (он приходил) often indicates an annulled result: the person arrived, but has since departed.

3. Destinations:
Arrival verbs require the винительный падеж for locations (в город) or the дательный падеж for people (к другу).

4. Abstract Usage:
прийти is used metaphorically for thoughts or conclusions: прийти к выводу (to come to a conclusion).

Examples (6)

  1. Мы наконец-то пришли домой.

    We finally arrived home (on foot).

    Word by Word: We finally-then arrived home.

    Uses the past tense of 'прийти' because the subjects walked.

  2. Мой друг приедет в Москву завтра.

    My friend will arrive in Moscow tomorrow (by vehicle).

    Word by Word: My friend will-arrive in Moscow tomorrow.

    Uses the perfective future of 'приехать' to indicate a completed arrival by transport.

  3. Поезд пришёл вовремя, а такси приехало позже.

    The train arrived on time, but the taxi arrived later.

    Word by Word: Train arrived on-time, and taxi arrived later.

    'Прийти' is used for scheduled transport like trains, while 'приехать' is used for cars and taxis.

  4. Иван приходил утром, но его сейчас нет.

    Ivan came this morning, but he isn't here now.

    Word by Word: Ivan was-coming in-morning, but him now no.

    The imperfective 'приходил' indicates an 'annulled result'—he arrived and then left.

  5. Она пришла к врачу в десять часов.

    She arrived at the doctor's at ten o'clock.

    Word by Word: She arrived to doctor in ten hours.

    Uses 'к' + Dative because the destination is a person (the doctor).

  6. Эта идея пришла мне в голову вчера.

    This idea came to my mind yesterday.

    Word by Word: This idea came to-me in head yesterday.

    An example of 'прийти' used in an abstract, idiomatic sense.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Prepositional case for the destination.

    Я приехал в Москве.
    Я приехал в Москву.

    Arrival implies movement toward a goal, so you must use the Accusative case (в Москву), not the Prepositional case (в Москве).

  • Confusing the subject when a vehicle arrives.

    Я пришёл на автобусе.
    Я приехал на автобусе.

    If you (a person) are the subject and you used transport, you must use приехать. The verb прийти is used for vehicles themselves (e.g., Автобус пришёл) or for people walking.

  • Incorrect spelling of the infinitive 'to come'.

    Я хочу придти вовремя.
    Я хочу прийти вовремя.

    While the future stem is прид- (приду), the only correct modern spelling for the infinitive is прийти.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

прийти / приехатьLevel 3Arrival

Learn This First

To understand 'прийти' and 'приехать', learners must first be familiar with the basic unidirectional verbs of motion for walking and driving. Additionally, since these verbs express the completed result of an arrival, knowledge of the perfective aspect is necessary.

Words in This Pattern

прийтиприехать