гнать

fairly common #3761C1

verbunidirectional motion (partner гоня́ть)imperfective perfective is погна́ть

1.
to drive, to urge on, to chase
Ве́тер го́нит на нас клу́бы жёлтого ды́ма.
The wind is driving clouds of yellow smoke towards us.
of driving animals, people or things in one direction; also of driving a vehicle fast
2.
to drive away, to chase out, to expel
Хозя́ин гнал соба́ку со двора́.
The owner was driving the dog out of the yard.
3.
to lie, to talk nonsense, to bullshit
Чё ты го́нишь?
What are you talking rubbish about?
colloquial/slang
4.
to distildistilling
Дед гнал самого́н в сара́е.
Grandpa used to distil moonshine in the shed.
of spirits: гнать самогон
5.
(rare) to persecute, to hound
Их гна́ли за ве́ру.
They were persecuted for their faith.

Motion info

гнать/гоня́ть is a verb of motion pair:

· гнать is unidirectional → go right now or in a specific single trip.

· гоня́ть is multidirectional → habitual movement, repeated trips, or there-and-back movement.

гнать/гоня́ть are both imperfective and thus focus on the process. Use the perfective aspect partner instead if you want to describe a completed action.

Usage info

гнать / погнать :unidirectional verb;
гонять / погонять :multidirectional verb.

Examples

Покрикивающий пастух гнал стадо к реке.
The shepherd, calling out from time to time, drove the flock toward the river.
Гуртовщик гнал стадо через поле.
The drover drove the herd across the field.
Молодая всадница гнала лошадь по полю
The young horsewoman drove her horse across the field.
Молодая пастушка гнала овец на луг.
The young shepherdess drove the sheep to the meadow.
Загонщики гнали зверя прямо к охотникам.
The beaters drove the animal straight toward the hunters.
Ветер, напиравший на паруса, гнал корабль вперёд.
The wind filling the sails drove the ship forward.
Свежевший к ночи ветер гнал волны к берегу.
The wind, which freshened toward nightfall, drove the waves toward the shore.
Возница, гикавший на лошадей, гнал повозку по дороге.
The driver, shouting at the horses, drove the cart along the road.

Conjugation

	Present	Future
я	гоню́	бу́ду гнать
ты	го́нишь	бу́дешь гнать
он/она́/оно́	го́нит	бу́дет гнать
мы	го́ним	бу́дем гнать
вы	го́ните	бу́дете гнать
они́	го́нят	бу́дут гнать

Note: Stress change.

Imperative
ты	гони́
вы	гони́те

Past
masculine	гна́л
feminine	гнала́
neuter	гна́ло
plural	гна́ли

Participles

Active present	гоня́щий	chasing, pursuing, driving, driving away
Active past	гна́вший	having driven, having chased, having pursued, who was driving
Passive present	-
Passive past	-
Gerund present	гоня́	while doing (present)
Gerund past	гна́в гнавши	while doing (past)

Prefix groupPRO

Verb	Prefix	Meaning
гнать	-	to drive; to drive away; to lie; to distil; to persecute
гна́ться	-	to chase after (за кем-чем)
вогна́ть	во-	to drive in; to drive (into a place); to throw (into a state)
вы́гнать	вы-	to kick out; to distil