Kilo Lingo

/komenˈθaɾ/ ES

/komenˈsaɾ/ MX

Line drawing of comenzar
Coloured illustration of comenzar
#370 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

to begin, to start

Word origin

From Vulgar Latin cominitiare, a compound of cum ('with') and initiare ('to begin'), from initium ('beginning'). The same root gives English 'commence' and 'initiate'.

Origin
Latin
Root
cominitiare
English cognates
commence, initiate

Grammar

Verb type-ar irregular

Conjugation

Regular spanish-stem-changing conjugation. Pronouns: yo, tú, él/ella/ud., nos., vos., ellos/uds..

Indicative

Person PresentPreteriteImperfectFutureConditional
yocomienzocomencécomenzabacomenzarécomenzaría
comienzascomenzastecomenzabascomenzaráscomenzarías
él/ella/ud.comienzacomenzócomenzabacomenzarácomenzaría
nos.comenzamoscomenzamoscomenzábamoscomenzaremoscomenzaríamos
vos.comenzáiscomenzasteiscomenzabaiscomenzaréiscomenzaríais
ellos/uds.comienzancomenzaroncomenzabancomenzaráncomenzarían

Subjunctive

Person PresentImperfect (-ra)Imperfect (-se)
yocomiencecomenzaracomenzase
comiencescomenzarascomenzases
él/ella/ud.comiencecomenzaracomenzase
nos.comencemoscomenzáramoscomenzásemos
vos.comencéiscomenzaraiscomenzaseis
ellos/uds.comiencencomenzarancomenzasen

Imperative

Person Affirmative
comienza
ud.comience
nosotroscomencemos
vosotroscomenzad
uds.comiencen

Non-finite

Gerund / present participle
comenzando
Past participle
comenzado

Examples

.

The film is about to begin.

.

Let's start the class with an exercise.

.

I want to start studying French this year.

comienza .

The match starts at eight in the evening.

.

My brother started working very young.

Where this fits

Used in

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Spanish · Free printables

comenzar: worksheet, infographic and listicle

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This word is part of lesson 8.