niesť / nosiť and Other Motion Verb Pairs

Other Verbs of Motion in Pairs

Level 3

Like ísť / chodiť, several motion verbs come in pairs: the first verb is one trip in one direction, and the second is repeated, habitual or back-and-forth movement.

How It Works

One trip or many. You already know ísť and chodiť. The same split runs through other verbs of motion:

  • niesť / nosiť – carry (on foot): nesiem, nesieš, nesie … nesú / nosím, nosíš, nosí … nosia
  • viezť / voziť – carry or drive someone by vehicle: veziem … vezú / vozím … vozia
  • viesť / vodiť – lead, take someone on foot: vediem … vedú / vodím … vodia
  • bežať / behať – run: bežím … bežia / behám … behajú
  • letieť / lietať – fly: letím … letia / lietam … lietajú

The first verb (niesť, viezť, viesť, bežať, letieť) describes one movement toward a goal, usually happening now: Bežím na autobus. (I'm running for the bus.)

The second verb (nosiť, voziť, vodiť, behať, lietať) describes repeated trips, a habit, movement in many directions, or the activity in general: Každé ráno vozím deti do školy. (I drive the children to school every morning.) Rád behám. (I like running.) Nosiť also means to wear clothes regularly: Nosím okuliare.

Watch the vowel. The infinitives have ie, but the present stem has e: niesť → nesiem, viezť → veziem, viesť → vediem. The past goes back to ie: niesol, viezol, viedol (see irregular past forms).

For the future, the one-direction verbs take po-: ponesiem, poveziem, poletím (see the future of motion verbs). The habitual verbs use budem: budem nosiť.

Examples (6)

  1. Nesiem ťažkú tašku.

    I'm carrying a heavy bag.

    Word by Word: I-carry heavy bag.

    One trip, happening now: niesť.

  2. Každý deň nosím do práce obed.

    I take lunch to work every day.

    Word by Word: Every day I-carry to work lunch.

    A daily routine: nosiť.

  3. Otec vezie deti na stanicu.

    Dad is driving the children to the station.

    Word by Word: Father carries-by-vehicle children to station.

  4. Každé ráno vozím deti do školy.

    I drive the children to school every morning.

    Word by Word: Every morning I-carry-by-vehicle children to school.

  5. Večer vodím psa na prechádzku.

    In the evening I take the dog for a walk.

    Word by Word: In-evening I-lead dog for walk.

    A regular walk: vodiť, not viesť.

  6. Lietadlo letí do Londýna, ale ja nerád lietam.

    The plane is flying to London, but I don't like flying.

    Word by Word: Plane flies to London, but I not-gladly fly.

    Letí is one flight in one direction; lietam is flying in general.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the one-trip verb for a habit.

    Každý deň nesiem obed do práce.
    Každý deň nosím obed do práce.

    Každý deň makes this a repeated action, so use nosiť. Niesť is for one trip, usually happening now.

  • Using the one-trip verb for an activity you like in general.

    Rád bežím v parku.
    Rád behám v parku.

    When you talk about running as a hobby, use behať. Bežím means I am running somewhere right now.

  • Keeping ie from the infinitive in the present tense.

    Niesem kufor.
    Nesiem kufor.

    The infinitive is niesť, but the present stem is nes-: nesiem, nesieš, nesú. The same happens with veziem and vediem.

How It Connects

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

niesť / nosiť and Other Motion Verb PairsLevel 3Other Verbs of Motion in Pairs

Learn This First

Before Other Verbs of Motion in Pairs, learn Going Now and Going Regularly and Prefixes on Verbs of Going. niesť / nosiť work like ísť / chodiť. The same motion prefixes apply to the other pairs.

Words in This Pattern

niesťnosiťviezťvoziťviesťvodiťbežaťbehaťletieťlietať