In German, the verbs gehen and fahren both express the idea of "going," but they are used in entirely different contexts. Gehen is for traveling on foot, while fahren is for traveling by any kind of vehicle. Because they describe different modes of transport, they are never interchangeable. They also follow different rules for conjugation and auxiliary verb use in compound tenses.
- gehen = to go (by foot)
- fahren = to go/drive (by vehicle)
- They are mutually exclusive—don't use fahren for walking or gehen for driving.
- Different auxiliary verbs are used: gehen uses sein, as does fahren when it means "to travel" (not "to drive" in a business sense).
*gehen* is for walking; *fahren* is for traveling by vehicle, so they are not interchangeable.
Use *gehen* only when referring to moving on foot—walking, jogging, etc.
Gehen: to go (on foot)
Gehen expresses physical movement by walking. You use it whenever someone is moving on foot—whether literally walking, jogging, or even marching.
- Only for walking or moving on foot—not for any vehicle.
- Used for both the action and the general notion of “going” when on foot.
Common Uses
- Wir gehen zur Schule. (We go [walk] to school.)
- Ich gehe nach Hause. (I’m going home [on foot].)
- Gehst du jeden Tag spazieren? (Do you go for a walk every day?)
*gehen* is used exclusively for going on foot (walking).
*gehen* is correct only when referring to going on foot.
Fahren: to drive, to travel (by vehicle)
Fahren is used when you move by means of a vehicle, whether you’re driving, riding as a passenger, or even traveling on a train or tram. It expresses motion via some kind of transport.
- Used for any form of vehicle transport: car, bus, train, bike (if motorized), tram, etc.
- Can be used both for driving (operating a vehicle) and for traveling by vehicle (when you’re a passenger).
Common Uses
- Ich fahre zur Arbeit. (I drive/travel to work [by vehicle].)
- Fährst du morgen? (Are you driving tomorrow?)
- Wir fahren mit dem Zug. (We travel by train.)
*fahren* is used for traveling by vehicle—not for walking or flying.*
*fahren* is correct when using vehicles or traveling by vehicle.
Summary
| Verb | Meaning | Usage | Example (Go to school) |
|---|---|---|---|
| gehen | To go (on foot) | Only for walking/moving on foot | Wir gehen zur Schule. (We walk to school.) |
| fahren | To drive/travel | Only for vehicle transport | Wir fahren zur Schule. (We go by vehicle.) |
Gehen and fahren focus on different modes of transport, so they’re never interchangeable.
No, because *gehen* is for walking and *fahren* is for vehicle transport.