comenzar Present Conjugation
comenzar — to start
Comenzar is a stem-changing verb where 'e' becomes 'ie': comienzo, comienzas, comienza, comenzamos, comenzáis, comienzan.
comenzar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense for things that are starting right now or things that start regularly, like a work schedule or a TV show.
Notes on comenzar in the Present
This is a 'boot verb' (e>ie). The stem changes in all forms except for nosotros and vosotros.
Example Sentences
Comienzo mis clases a las nueve.
I start my classes at nine.
yo
¿A qué hora comienza el partido?
What time does the game start?
él/ella/usted
Ellos comienzan el proyecto mañana.
They start the project tomorrow.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'comenzo' instead of 'comienzo'.
Correct: comienzo
Why: You must apply the e>ie stem change in the first person singular.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: comencé
The preterite of comenzar has a spelling change in the first person: comencé, comenzaste, comenzó, comenzamos, comenzasteis, comenzaron.
Imperfect
yo: comenzaba
The imperfect of comenzar is regular: comenzaba, comenzabas, comenzaba, comenzábamos, comenzabais, comenzaban.
Future
yo: comenzaré
The future of comenzar is regular: comenzaré, comenzarás, comenzará, comenzaremos, comenzaréis, comenzarán.
Conditional
yo: comenzaría
The conditional of comenzar is regular: comenzaría, comenzarías, comenzaría, comenzaríamos, comenzaríais, comenzarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: comience
The present subjunctive of comenzar follows the e>ie stem change and the z>c spelling change: comience, comiences, comience, comencemos, comencéis, comiencen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: comenzara
The imperfect subjunctive of comenzar is regular based on the third-person preterite: comenzara, comenzaras, comenzara, comenzáramos, comenzarais, comenzaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: comienza
The imperative of comenzar uses the stem change for informal commands: comienza (tú), comience (usted), comencemos (nosotros), comenzad (vosotros), comiencen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no comiences
The negative imperative of comenzar uses the present subjunctive forms: no comiences, no comience, no comencemos, no comencéis, no comiencen.