〜始める (hajimeru) - Begin
〜始める attaches to verb stems to indicate beginning an action. This is the most neutral and common way to express starting something, without implying suddenness or any special nuance.
Verb stem + 始める
食べ始める - begin eating
読み始める - begin reading
勉強し始める - begin studying
Neutral beginning
Most common pattern
No special emphasis
Formation
Basic pattern
る-verbs:
食べる → 食べ始める "begin eating"
見る → 見始める "begin watching"
寝る → 寝始める "begin sleeping"
う-verbs:
読む → 読み始める "begin reading"
書く → 書き始める "begin writing"
話す → 話し始める "begin talking"
Irregular:
する → し始める "begin doing"
来る → 来始める "begin coming"
Core Meaning
Simple beginning
本を読み始めた
"(I) began reading a book"
Neutral statement
No special implication
Just the fact of starting
仕事を始めた
"(I) started work"
Simple, straightforward
Most versatile beginning expression
When to Use
Planned or intentional actions
明日から運動を始める
"I'll begin exercising from tomorrow"
Planned start
Intentional beginning
日本語を勉強し始めた
"I started studying Japanese"
Deliberate decision
Conscious start
Gradual beginnings
桜が咲き始めた
"The cherry blossoms started blooming"
Gradual process
Not sudden
雨が降り始めた
"It started raining"
Can be gradual
(Compare: 降り出す = sudden)
Versatility
Works with almost any verb
Unlike 出す which implies suddenness:
読み始める ✓ "begin reading"
食べ始める ✓ "begin eating"
考え始める ✓ "begin thinking"
作り始める ✓ "begin making"
Very productive
Combines naturally
Default choice for "begin"
Transitivity
Maintains verb transitivity
Transitive verbs stay transitive:
本を読み始める "begin reading a book"
ケーキを作り始める "begin making a cake"
Intransitive verbs stay intransitive:
雨が降り始める "rain begins falling"
花が咲き始める "flowers begin blooming"
Object/subject patterns preserved
Time Expressions
With time markers
3時に始める
"Begin at 3 o'clock"
来週から始める
"Begin from next week"
昨日始めた
"Began yesterday"
Works naturally with time expressions
Emphasizes when action started
Aspect Combinations
With ている
読み始めている
"Have begun reading / be reading"
Shows current state
Already started, continuing
もう食べ始めている
"Have already started eating"
Completed start + ongoing state
With てから
食べ始めてから
"After beginning to eat"
本を読み始めてから、時間が経った
"Time passed after I began reading the book"
Sequential actions
After the start point
Contrast with Similar Verbs
始める vs 出す
話し始める
"Begin talking"
Neutral, planned
話し出す
"Start talking (suddenly)"
Abrupt, spontaneous
Use 始める when:
- Neutral beginning
- Planned action
- No emphasis on suddenness
始める vs スタートする
勉強を始める
"Begin studying"
Native Japanese, natural
勉強をスタートする
"Start studying"
Borrowed word, modern feel
始める is more natural
スタート more casual/sporty
Common Contexts
Daily activities
朝ごはんを食べ始めた
"Started eating breakfast"
宿題をし始める
"Begin doing homework"
テレビを見始めた
"Started watching TV"
Everyday actions
Regular activities
Long-term activities
ピアノを習い始めた
"Started learning piano"
新しい仕事を始めた
"Started a new job"
ジムに通い始めた
"Started going to the gym"
New habits
Lifestyle changes
Projects
Processes
機械が動き始めた
"The machine started operating"
プロジェクトが進み始めた
"The project started progressing"
状況が変わり始めた
"The situation started changing"
Ongoing processes
Gradual changes
Formality
Neutral across registers
Can be used in:
- Casual speech: 食べ始めた
- Polite speech: 食べ始めました
- Formal writing: 食べ始めた
Not inherently formal or casual
Adjust with conjugation
Universal usage
Conjugation
Standard る-verb
始める is a る-verb:
Present: 始める
Past: 始めた
Negative: 始めない
Te-form: 始めて
Potential: 始められる
Passive: 始められる
Causative: 始めさせる
All regular conjugations
In Complex Sentences
Multiple clauses
本を読み始めたが、難しかった
"I began reading the book, but it was difficult"
勉強し始めると、面白くなった
"When I began studying, it became interesting"
食べ始める前に、手を洗う
"Before beginning to eat, wash hands"
Works in complex grammar
Flexible usage
Emphasis Patterns
With adverbs
ゆっくり始める
"Begin slowly"
急いで始める
"Begin hurriedly"
真剣に始める
"Begin seriously"
やっと始める
"Finally begin"
Manner and emphasis
Natural combinations
Common Mistakes
❌ Using dictionary form of first verb
✗ 食べる始める
✓ Using stem form
✓ 食べ始める
❌ Confusing with 出す
Don't use 始める for sudden actions when 出す is more appropriate
✓ Choose based on context
Neutral → 始める
Sudden → 出す
❌ Wrong conjugation
✗ 始めった (past)
✓ Correct conjugation
✓ 始めた
With Negative
"Haven't started yet"
まだ始めていない
"Haven't started yet"
まだ食べ始めていない
"Haven't begun eating yet"
Negative state
Action not initiated
Standalone vs Compound
始める as main verb
Standalone:
仕事を始める "begin work"
会議を始める "begin meeting"
Compound:
働き始める "begin working"
話し始める "begin talking"
Both valid
Different structures
Compound more about action itself