# began

/biˈɡæn/ (US) · /bɪɡˈæn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/began
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. started

verb · CEFR A1

the past tense of 'begin'.

For teachers: the simple past form of 'begin'.

- The rain began just as we reached the front door of the house.
- The construction project began in early spring, following months of intense negotiations between the city council and the developers.

Usage: This is the simple past form and does not take an auxiliary verb like 'have' or 'had'.

## Examples

- The movie began ten minutes ago.
- The rain began just as we stepped out of the car, so we ran for cover.
- The industrial revolution began in the eighteenth century and fundamentally altered the social and economic landscape of the entire world.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.