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empezar
/emˈpeθaɾ/
to begin
Vamos a empezar el proyecto mañana.
We are going to begin the project tomorrow.
general
To initiate or commence an action or process.
¿A qué hora empezamos la reunión?
What time do we start the meeting?
El concierto empezó con una canción épica.
The concert began with an epic song.
Commonly used with 'a' to indicate the start of an activity or event.
Collocations
empezar ato start toempezar porto begin with
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
'Empezar' is more commonly used in everyday speech than 'comenzar', which is more formal.
Gold Rule
Preposition Use
Always use 'a' with 'empezar' when referring to the start of an action (e.g., 'empezar a trabajar').
Word Origin
From Latin 'initiare' (to initiate), via Old French 'empecier'.
Usage Notes
'Empezar' is often used with 'a' to indicate the beginning of an action, while 'comenzar' is more formal and can be used without 'a'.
Word Breakdown
em-
in
prefix-pezar
to weigh
rootDiccionario Español-Inglés