Looking up...
to start, to begin
Wir fangen um 9 Uhr an.
We start at 9 o'clock.
Er hat mit dem Studium angefangen.
He started studying.
Commonly used in everyday contexts to indicate the beginning of an action or event.
Remember that 'anfangen' is often followed by 'zu' + infinitive when describing the start of an action.
Like most German verbs, 'anfangen' is irregular in the past tense ('ich fing an') and past participle ('angefangen').
From Middle High German 'anvangen', from Old High German 'anafangan', from 'ana-' (on) + 'fangan' (to catch, grasp).
Often used with 'zu' + infinitive to describe the beginning of an action. Can also be used reflexively ('sich anfangen') in some contexts.