verb

comenzar

begin · start

Empezar algo o dar inicio a una acción o actividad.

Definition & meaning

The word comenzar is a verb that means to start, to begin, or to commence. It is used to describe the point in time or the action of initiating a process, a task, an event, or a period.

It is a very common word in Spanish and is often interchangeable with the verb empezar. It can be used transitively (followed by an object or another verb) or intransitively. For example, it can describe the start of a movie, the beginning of a working day, or the moment someone starts to perform an action.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: Comenzar is a first-conjugation verb (ending in -ar). It is an irregular verb because it undergoes a stem change in certain tenses and persons. Specifically, it is an "e to ie" stem-changing verb. For example, in the present indicative:

Yo comienzo (I begin)
Tú comienzas (You begin)
Él/Ella comienza (He/She begins)

When followed by another verb to indicate the start of an action, it requires the preposition a (e.g., "comenzar a leer").

Word origin: The word originates from the Late Latin verb cominitiare, which is a compound of the prefix com- (meaning "together" or "completely") and the verb initiare (meaning "to initiate" or "to begin"). The root is the same as the English word "commence."

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

empezar: The most common synonym, used in almost all contexts.
iniciar: Often used in more formal or technical contexts, such as starting a project or a computer process.
principiar: A slightly more formal or literary way to say to begin.
originar: Used when the beginning refers to the cause or origin of something.

Antonyms: