Мы часто ходим к ним в гости.

We often go visit them.

Breakdown of Мы часто ходим к ним в гости.

• часто: often
• к: to
• мы: we
• ним: them

Questions & Answers about Мы часто ходим к ним в гости.

Why is it ходим and not идём?

Because часто shows a repeated, habitual action.

• ходить = to go regularly / repeatedly / in general
• идти = to be going right now, in one direction, on one specific trip

So:

• Мы часто ходим к ним в гости = We often go to visit them.
• Мы идём к ним в гости = We are going to visit them now / we’re on our way.

Does ходим mean we literally go on foot?

In the basic verb system, yes, ходить is the verb for going on foot.

However, ходить в гости is also a very common expression for going to visit people, and speakers often use it without strongly focusing on whether they walked or not.

If you want to emphasize travel by transport, Russian can also use:

• Мы часто ездим к ним в гости = We often go visit them by vehicle / we often travel to visit them.

So for learners, it is best to remember ходить в гости as a standard idiomatic phrase.

Why is it к ним? What case is ним?