Understanding the Spanish Verb "Empezar" (Start)
The most common way to express "start" in Spanish is the verb "empezar." This regular verb belongs to the -ar verb family, which makes it relatively straightforward to conjugate once you understand the basic patterns. "Empezar" literally translates to "to begin" or "to start" and appears frequently in everyday Spanish conversation. When you learn this verb, you gain access to one of the most useful action words in the language. The verb works in both formal and informal contexts, though the specific conjugation changes depending on who is performing the action and when it takes place.
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In its infinitive form, "empezar" is the base version you would find in a dictionary. Spanish verbs change their endings based on the subject performing the action—whether it's "I," "you," "he/she," and so on. Understanding how "empezar" conjugates across different time periods and subjects will allow you to construct sentences about starting activities, projects, or events in nearly any situation. The verb appears in news broadcasts, casual conversations, business meetings, and educational settings. Learning to use it correctly demonstrates a solid grasp of fundamental Spanish grammar.
Practical takeaway: Write down the infinitive form "empezar" and practice saying it aloud several times. Notice the emphasis falls on the second syllable: em-pe-ZAR. This pronunciation habit will help you recognize the verb when you hear it spoken by native Spanish speakers.
Present Tense Conjugations of "Empezar"
The present tense is used when describing actions happening right now or habitual actions. "Empezar" follows a regular -ar verb pattern with one important modification: the stem vowel changes from "e" to "ie" in certain conjugations. This vowel change occurs in the first, second, and third person singular forms, as well as the third person plural. This type of verb is called a "stem-changing" or "boot" verb because when you map out which conjugations change, the shape resembles a cowboy boot.
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Here are the present tense conjugations:
- Yo empiezo (I start)
- Tú empiezas (You start — informal)
- Él/Ella/Usted empieza (He/She/You start — formal)
- Nosotros/Nosotras empezamos (We start — no stem change)
- Vosotros/Vosotras empezáis (You all start — Spain, informal plural)
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes empiezan (They/You all start)
Notice that the nosotros form does not undergo the stem change. This is consistent with how most stem-changing verbs work in Spanish. The stem change affects only the syllable that receives stress in pronunciation. In the nosotros form, the stress falls on the "a," not on the "e," so the vowel remains unchanged. You can use these conjugations in sentences like "Yo empiezo mis tareas a las tres" (I start my homework at three o'clock) or "Nosotros empezamos el proyecto mañana" (We start the project tomorrow).
Practical takeaway: Create flashcards with each present tense conjugation on one side and an example sentence on the other. Test yourself daily until you can recite all six forms without looking at your notes. Focus extra attention on the nosotros form since it breaks the stem-changing pattern.
Past Tense Uses of "Empezar"
Spanish has multiple past tenses, and "empezar" works in all of them. The preterite tense describes completed actions in the past, while the imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past. Understanding when to use each one will improve your ability to tell stories and describe past experiences. The preterite form is what you use when something started and finished at a specific point in time. The imperfect form describes a continuous situation in the past or a repeated pattern of starting something.
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The preterite conjugations of "empezar" follow a regular pattern:
- Yo empecé (I started)
- Tú empezaste (You started — informal)
- Él/Ella/Usted empezó (He/She/You started — formal)
- Nosotros/Nosotras empezamos (We started)
- Vosotros/Vosotras empezasteis (You all started — Spain)
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes empezaron (They/You all started)
Notice that in the first person singular (yo), the spelling changes from "empecé" with a c instead of z. This is a spelling rule in Spanish: before the vowel "e," you use "c" instead of "z" to maintain the original sound. Example: "Empecé a estudiar a las ocho" (I started studying at eight o'clock). The imperfect forms are: empezaba, empezabas, empezaba, empezábamos, empezabais, empezaban. You would use the imperfect in a sentence like "Cuando era niño, siempre empezaba el día con desayuno" (When I was a child, I always used to start the day with breakfast).
Practical takeaway: Write a paragraph describing two past events in Spanish—one that started and finished (use preterite), and one that used to happen repeatedly (use imperfect). Read your paragraph aloud to practice the different sounds and rhythms of these verb forms.
Using "Empezar" With Prepositions and Infinitives
One of the most practical uses of "empezar" involves combining it with prepositions and infinitive verbs. When you want to say "start doing something," you typically use "empezar" followed by the preposition "a" and an infinitive verb. This construction allows you to express the beginning of an action in a natural, flowing way. The phrase "empezar a" literally means "to begin to," and it's one of the most frequent patterns you'll encounter in Spanish texts and conversations.
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Examples of this construction include:
- "Empiezo a preparar la cena" (I start to prepare dinner / I start preparing dinner)
- "Ellos empezaron a jugar fútbol" (They started to play soccer / They started playing soccer)
- "¿Cuándo empezará a nevar?" (When will it start to snow?)
- "Nosotros empezamos a entender el concepto" (We start to understand the concept)
There is also the preposition "con," which means "with." Using "empezar con" shows what you start with or what begins your activity: "Empezamos con un calentamiento" (We start with a warm-up). Some verbs and situations work better with "con" than with "a." For example, "empezar con un libro" (to start with a book) sounds more natural than "empezar a un libro" in certain contexts. Additionally, "empezar por" means "to start by" or "to start with," emphasizing where you're beginning in a sequence: "Empecemos por el primer capítulo" (Let's start with the first chapter).
Practical takeaway: Create ten sentences using "empezar a" plus an infinitive verb. Choose infinitives from your daily life—cooking, studying, exercising, working. Practice these sentences until they become automatic responses when you think about your daily routine.
Alternative Verbs for "Start" in Different Contexts
While "empezar" is the most common verb for "start," Spanish offers other verbs that convey similar meanings in specific contexts. Understanding these alternatives will help you sound more natural and allow you to express subtle differences in meaning. The verb "comenzar" is a synonym for "empezar," and it operates with identical conjugations and stem changes. In many regions, the two words are interchang