This Russian verb is very important to know when talking about sport activities. Unlike in English, where the verb "to go + gerund form (-ing)" is used very often, Russian takes the verb "to ride" - КАТАТЬСЯ / ПОКАТАТЬСЯ and the prepositional case with the preposition НА.
ката́ться / поката́ться = to ride: to go riding; to go (+ sport)
ката́ться на лы́жах = to go cross country skiing
на го́рных лы́жах = to go downhill skiing
на сноубо́рде = to go snowboarding
на конька́х = to go skating
на са́нках = to go sled riding
на саня́х = to go sleigh riding
на ро́ликах = to go roller skating
на ватру́шке = to ride on a tube “vatrushka”
A tube resembles the shape of the famous Russian cottage cheese pastry «ватру́шка»; that’s why it took its name.
на велосипе́де = to go bicycle riding
на ло́дке = to go boating
на карусе́ли = to ride on a carousel
На чём вы любите кататься? Вы катаетесь на лыжах? Может быть, вы сегодня катаетесь на горных лыжах или сноуборде?
The verb is also used in the following expressions:
ката́ться на маши́не = to go for a drive
ката́ться верхо́м = to go horseback riding
Here is a noun that derived from the verb КАТАТЬСЯ.
като́к (noun, masculine) = skating rink
В Москве́ на Кра́сной пло́щади есть като́к. There is a skating rink on Red Square in Moscow.
на катке́ (где?) = at the skating rink
На катке́ всегда́ ве́село. It’s always fun at the skating ring.
на като́к (куда́?) = to the skating rink
Де́ти и взро́слые лю́бят ходи́ть на като́к. Kids and grownups like to go to the skating rink.
ката́ние (noun, neuter) = riding
фигу́рное ката́ние = figure skating
Фигу́рное ката́ние – краси́вый вид спо́рта. Figure skating is a beautiful spot.
Here is a Russian saying with the verb КАТАТЬСЯ.
Лю́бишь ката́ться, люби́ и са́ночки вози́ть.
If you paraphrase this Russian proverb, it might sound like «Если ты лю́бишь ката́ться на са́нках, то и люби́ вози́ть са́нки.» With a standard word order and without missing words, it could be translated into English like “If you like to ride a sled, you should like to carry the (little) sled.” This proverb has a few similar English sayings: “If you dance, you must pay the fiddler.” or “No pain, no gain.”
There еare a few idioms with the verb КАТАТЬСЯ.
ката́ться со́ смеху = literally: to roar with laughter = to have a hardy laugh
Фильм был тако́й смешно́й, что мы ката́лись со́ смеху. The movie was so funny that we were roaring with laughter.
как сы́р в ма́сле ката́ться = literally: to roll like cheese in butter = to live high; to live like a king
Везёт ему! Он как сыр в ма́сле ката́ется. He is lucky! He lives like a king.
Comments