Verbs of Chasing and Herding: Гнать and Гонять
Like other Russian verbs of motion, chasing and herding require different verbs depending on the direction of movement. These verbs are used for herding animals (like livestock or sheep), chasing away pests (like flies or dogs), and even driving a vehicle very fast.
- Гнать: Unidirectional. Used for herding, driving, or chasing someone or something in one specific direction, or on a single trip.
- Гонять: Multidirectional. Used for chasing or driving things around aimlessly, in various directions, or habitually.
| Pronoun | Unidirectional (гнать) | Multidirectional (гонять) |
|---|
| Я | гоню | гоняю |
| Ты | гонишь | гоняешь |
| Он / Она | гонит | гоняет |
| Мы | гоним | гоняем |
| Вы | гоните | гоняете |
| Они | гонят | гоняют |
Unidirectional Herding and Driving: Гнать
Use гнать when you are actively moving an animal, person, or object toward a clear destination.
You can also use гнать combined with the adverb прочь (away) to mean driving someone or something off.
Colloquially, гнать is also used to mean "to drive (a vehicle) fast" or "to speed" toward a specific place.
Multidirectional Chasing and Herding: Гонять
Use гонять for moving animals or things around without a single, defined destination, or as a repeated habit. When talking about moving around an area, you will often see it paired with the preposition по (around/along).
It is also the natural verb to use when talking about chasing around pests or bothering someone repeatedly.
These verbs of motion are frequently used in a figurative sense, such as chasing away negative feelings or thoughts. For example, using the adjective дурной (bad, foolish) and the noun печаль (sorrow):