Walking Vocabulary in English

I love to go for a walk. I try to go on a walk every day, and my friends make fun of me (make friendly jokes about) for how much I walk. I consider somewhere to be within walking distance (how long it takes to get there on foot) if it’s under an hour and a half. Going for a walk is an easy way to keep fit (healthy), spend time outside, and get to know the place you live! If you’re like me, then this walking vocabulary in English is good to know!

Do you like to go for walks, too? Whether you’re a seasoned (been doing for a long time) walker or you’re looking to take up (start) a walking habit, this walking vocabulary in English will help you be able to talk about going for a walk!

Sidewalk

I grew up in a neighborhood that didn’t have any sidewalks in it, so whenever I would go for a walk, my mom would tell me to be extra careful. Sidewalks are paths on the side of the road where people can walk. They’re there so that people don’t have to walk in the street next to cars. Now that I live in a city, there are sidewalks everywhere, but my mom still tells me to be careful when I go for a walk!

For example:

• I hate when the sidewalk isn’t cleared of snow in the winter. It makes the path very icy and hard to walk on.
• Please don’t wait for the traffic light in the road. Get up on the sidewalk, instead.

Pedestrian

When you’re out for a walk, you’re a pedestrian. Quite simply, it’s a walker! The word pedestrian comes from the Latin word pedestris, which means “to go on foot.” If you’re driving a car, please make sure to look out for the pedestrians and share the road!

For example:

• The city is closing down this road for cars to make it better for pedestrians. Since cars won’t be allowed anymore, they’re hoping more walkers will use this street.
• Due to the festival that day, the street was full of pedestrians and very crowded.

Pedestrian crossing/crosswalk/zebra crossing

Time to build on the walking vocabulary you’ve just learned! Can you guess what a pedestrian crossing is?

When you want to cross a busy street, you should use the pedestrian crossing/crosswalk/zebra crossing. These are all different words for the same thing: the white stripes along a road where walkers can safely cross from one side to the other. Especially if you live in a city or near a busy road, it’s best to use the crosswalk while crossing the street. We want you all to be safe while you’re out collecting your 10,000 steps!

For example:

• She waited patiently for the light to turn green at the crosswalk, even though she was worried she would miss her train.
• He lived in the countryside where there wasn’t a lot of traffic (cars). There weren’t many pedestrian crossings on his street, so he made sure to be extra careful and look both ways before crossing.

Stroll

On weekends, I love to go for a stroll. A stroll (as a noun) or to stroll (as a verb) is a great walking vocabulary word to know. When you stroll, you walk without having a particular plan or direction. You may even walk more slowly than usual, as (because) you don’t have to be anywhere at a certain time. Going for a stroll is a nice, leisurely way to get outside and see the sights.

Do you plan on going for a stroll this weekend?

For example:

• What are you doing on Saturday? Would you like to get a coffee and go for a stroll along the river?
• I had an hour to go before my appointment, so I decided to go for a short stroll to kill some time.

Power walk

Power walking is pretty much the opposite of strolling. When you’re power walking, you have somewhere to be and you know it. You’re walking very fast and may be a little out of breath. One of my teachers in school called it “walking with purpose.”

When you go for a walk, do you prefer to stroll, power walk, or something in between?

For example:

• He thought he might miss his bus, so he power walked out of the office to the bus stop.
• -Why are you so sweaty?  -I thought I was going to be late, so I power walked most of the way here.

Has this walking vocabulary made you want to go for a walk today? Did you learn something new? Share with us in the comments below!