Auxiliary verbs?

Question

When learning Russian grammar, the only auxiliary verb that is explained is `быть`, which is used for forming the imperfective future tense. However, occasionally I have seen sentences where идти is used as an auxiliary verb. For example, I once saw the combination `идти гулять`. Could someone explain how such constructions work and precisely what its nuances are (i.e. what's the difference between `я погуляю` and `я иду гулять`)? Is it also possible to say `я шёл гулять`?Side question: are there any other auxiliary verbs in Russian besides `быть` and `идти`?

Answer 1

Okay. The immeidatge answer to your question is that there is one, and only one, auxility verb in Russian, быть. Unlike English, which has a dizzying array of verb forms, Russian has only this one verb.

Now to the construction you ask about: идти гулять. Fortunately, there's an analogous construction in English: "to go walking" or "to go for a walk." What is at issue is whether this is a goal-oriented activity or not. If you wish to say, "I'm walking to the park," then obviously you say, "Я иду в парк." However, if you are not engaged in goal-oriented acitity, if you're walking for the wak of walking, of exercise of whatever, then you "Я иду гулять/ Я иду-гуляю."

Does that help? Remember that auxiliary verbs are ONLY used to form tenses of verbs.