Crossing and passing (пере-, про-)

To specify a precise path, we can add prefixes to our familiar verbs of motion (ходить and идти).

Passing By and Through (про-)

The prefix про- means "through" or "past." Adding it creates an imperfective/perfective pair for passing through an area:

• проходить (imperfective): passing, covering a route
• пройти (perfective): to have passed, to complete a route

These conjugate exactly like their base forms (ходить and идти). When describing a route, they frequently pair with two prepositions:

• мимо
  • Genitive: passing by or past something
• через
  • Accusative: passing through a space

If the action is a completed, one-time event, use the perfective form пройти. Its past tense follows the irregular past tense of идти (прошёл, прошла, прошли).

Crossing Over (пере-)

The prefix пере- means "across" or "over." Use it when crossing a street, a bridge, or moving from one side of a barrier to another.

• переходить (imperfective): crossing
• перейти (perfective): to cross, to have crossed

Unlike passing through, crossing takes a direct object in the Accusative case without any extra prepositions (e.g., crossing the street, crossing the bridge).

Putting It Together

When describing a full route, you will often mix these verbs to explain where a runner passes through a neighborhood and where they cross physical barriers.