Word
begin
Phoneticsbe·gin, stress on the second syllable
US/bɪˈɡɪn/
UK/bɪɡˈɪn/
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
begin
Past
began
Past participle
begun
Definitions
01to start an action
A1 · Beginner
v. to start doing something or to take the first step in a process.
v. to initiate or perform the first part of an action or activity. Often takes a gerund or infinitive object.
日本語:始める、始まる※
“The students will begin their final exam as soon as the bell rings.”
“The research team will begin the second phase of the clinical trials once the preliminary data has been fully verified by the board.”
Usage
Can be followed by either a to-infinitive ('begin to work') or a gerund ('begin working') with little change in meaning.
Pitfall
I will begin my homework since two hours.
I will begin my homework in two hours.
Use 'in' for a future starting point; 'since' is used for a point in the past that continues until now.
02to come into existence
A2 · Elementary
v. to have a starting point in time or space.
v. to have a first existence; to arise from a specific source or at a specific time.
日本語:始まる※
“The river begins high up in the mountains and flows toward the sea.”
“Historians generally agree that the Renaissance began in Italy during the fourteenth century before spreading across the rest of Europe.”
Usage
Often used as an intransitive verb when describing the origin of natural or historical events.
03the start
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Dialect · Informal
n. the start of something.
n. a nonstandard or dialectal variant of 'beginning'.
“From the begin, I knew this project would be difficult.”
“The speaker used 'from the begin' as a regional colloquialism, though 'from the beginning' is the standard form in formal writing.”
Teaching tip
This noun form is very rare and usually considered a mistake in standard English; learners should use 'beginning' instead.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “begin” in context.
Word family
VERB
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/begin
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0