Confusing 'Started' vs. 'Was Starting'

In this specific form, 'empezaba' can mean both 'I was starting' and 'he/she/it was starting.' You'll need to look at the rest of the sentence to know who is being talked about.

The 'Two-Way' Word

Use this word when you want to describe a starting point that happened repeatedly in the past, like a schedule or a routine.

Describing Past Habits

Use 'empezaba' to set the scene. If you say 'El sol empezaba a salir...' (The sun was starting to rise...), it sounds like the beginning of a story.

Storytelling Trick

Extremely common in storytelling and describing past habits.

Learn how to use 'empezaba' in Spanish. Includes translations, examples of past habits, and full conjugation tables for the verb empezar.

Empezaba Meaning & Conjugation | InkLingo Dictionary

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empezaba

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

present

imperative

negative

affirmative

indicative

conditional

preterite

imperfect

present

future

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