JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 5

～始める

Start doing something

You'll be able to combine a verb with 始める to show when an action begins.

Read it first

芽衣めいは絵えを描かき始はじめました。

mei wa e o kakihajimemashita.

What do you think this sentence means?

Mei started drawing a picture.

Why it means that

Mark the start of an action

～始はじめる says an action or event starts. It focuses on the beginning, whether planned or simply observed.

Example

雨あめが降ふり始はじめました。

ame ga furihajimemashita.

It started raining.

How it is built

Remove ます before adding 始はじめる. Conjugate 始はじめる for tense: 始はじめました. This pattern marks the beginning without necessarily suggesting a sudden onset.

Verb ます-stem+始める

Examples

雨あめが降ふり始はじめました。

ame ga furihajimemashita.

It started raining.

九時くじに勉強べんきょうし始はじめます。

kuji ni benkyou shihajimemasu.

I start studying at nine.

Examples

去年きょねんから日本語にほんごを習ならい始はじめました。

kyonen kara nihongo o naraihajimemashita.

I started learning Japanese last year.

来月らいげつから新あたらしい会社かいしゃで働はたらき始はじめます。

raigetsu kara atarashii kaisha de hatarakihajimemasu.

I'll start working at a new company next month.

先週せんしゅうから、毎朝まいあさ公園こうえんを走はしり始はじめました。

senshuu kara, maiasa kouen o hashirihajimemashita.

Since last week, I've started running in the park every morning.

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