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JAPANESE VERB

はじめる

始める

to begin

  • #49 most used
  • Ichidan verb (ru-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI begin
NegativeI don’t begin

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI began
NegativeI didn’t begin

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formbegining, and…
Doing now (て います)I am begining
Please (て ください)please begin

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can begin
NegativeI can’t begin

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to begin
NegativeI don’t want to begin

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s begin

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I begin
  2. If, when (たら) if I begin

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) begin (do it)
  2. Plain command begin!
  3. Please don’t please don’t begin

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am begun
CausativeI make someone begin

How to use はじめる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    らいしゅう から にほんご の じゅぎょう を はじめます。

    From next week I start Japanese classes.

  2. Past

    さんねん まえ に この しごと を はじめた。

    I started this job three years ago.

  3. Te-form

    では、 かいぎ を はじめて ください。

    Then please begin the meeting.

  4. Potential

    いつ から はじめられます か？

    From when can you start?

  5. Want to

    なにか あたらしい しゅみ を はじめたい です。

    I want to start a new hobby.

  6. Volitional

    みんな そろった から、 はじめよう。

    Everyone's here, so let's begin.

  7. Conditional

    いま はじめれば、 ごじ に おわります。

    If we start now, we'll be done at five.

  8. Commands and requests

    あそんで いないで、 しゅくだい を はじめなさい。

    Stop playing and start your homework.

  9. Passive and causative

    むすこ に ピアノ を はじめさせました。

    I had my son start piano lessons.

Good to know

  • はじめる is to begin something; はじまる is when something begins by itself: えいが が はじまります.

Where you hear はじめる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • じゅぎょう は しちじ に はじめます。 I begin the class at seven.
  • せんげつ、 にほんご の べんきょう を はじめました。 Last month I began studying Japanese.
  • らいげつ、 りょうり の きょうしつ を はじめます。 Next month I'll start a cooking class.
12
The First Class

Beginner Level 2 · はじめます · はじめましょう · じゃ、 はじめましょう。

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: ichidan verb (ru-verb).