Idiomatic verbs of motion

Running Operations and Bearing Costs

Verbs of motion aren't just for physical travel. Many unidirectional verbs of motion—like prowadzić (to lead) and nieść (to carry)—are used abstractly to talk about business, logic, and responsibility.

In Polish, you don't "run" a business; you "lead" it (prowadzić działalność). Decisions "carry" consequences (nieść konsekwencje), and you "bear" costs or consequences using the prefixed verb ponosić.

My company runs foreign operations.
Moja firma prowadzi działalność zagraniczną.
Every decision carries serious consequences.
Każda decyzja niesie poważne konsekwencje.
You must bear the consequences of that error.
Musisz ponosić konsekwencje owego błędu.

Reaching Agreements and Starting from Assumptions

Prefixes change the direction of motion, creating metaphors for logic and negotiations.

Wychodzić means "to walk out," but wychodzić z założenia means to "start from an assumption" (literally, to walk out of it). To "reach an agreement" is dochodzić do porozumienia (to walk up to an agreement).

I start from the assumption that he is an honest expert.
Wychodzę z założenia, że on jest uczciwym ekspertem.
We often do not reach an agreement because I lack patience.
Często nie dochodzimy do porozumienia, bo brakuje mi cierpliwości.

Going Far and Stepping Away

The prefixed verb zajść can mean getting far in your career, or describing an event (like a misunderstanding) that simply "occurred."

Odchodzić means "to walk away." You can walk away from your principles (odchodzić od zasad), or use it in the idiom odchodzić od zmysłów (to go out of your mind / lose your senses).

He went very far in his career.
Zaszedł bardzo daleko w karierze.
You are going out of your mind with jealousy!
Odchodzisz od zmysłów z zazdrości!

Reputations and Pacing

To say someone "passes for" or "is considered as" something, use uchodzić za.

This man passes for a crazy millionaire.
Ten mężczyzna uchodzi za szalonego milionera.

Basic motion verbs also describe the flow of time and information. Ideas or vocabulary can enter or exit circulation (obieg), and projects can move forward (iść do przodu) at a certain pace (tempo).

This word quickly went out of circulation.
To słowo szybko wyszło z obiegu.
We are moving forward at our own pace.
Idziemy do przodu we własnym tempie.