
empezar Present Conjugation
empezar — to start
Empezar is a stem-changing verb where the 'e' becomes 'ie' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
empezar Present Forms
When to Use the Present
Use the present tense to talk about schedules, routines, or things that are starting right now.
Notes on empezar in the Present
This is an E-to-IE stem-changer (boot verb). The change happens in the 'yo', 'tú', 'él/ella', and 'ellos/ellas' forms.
Example Sentences
Siempre empiezo mi trabajo a las nueve.
I always start my work at nine.
yo
¿A qué hora empieza el concierto?
What time does the concert start?
él/ella/usted
Ellos empiezan a estudiar ahora mismo.
They are starting to study right now.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'empezamos' with an 'ie' (empiezamos).
Correct: empezamos
Why: Stem changes never occur in the nosotros or vosotros forms in the present indicative.
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Related Tenses
Preterite
yo: empecé
Empezar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (empecé) but is otherwise regular in the preterite.
Imperfect
yo: empezaba
Empezar is regular in the imperfect: empezaba, empezabas, empezaba, empezábamos, empezabais, empezaban.
Future
yo: empezaré
The future tense of empezar is completely regular: empezaré, empezarás, empezará, etc.
Conditional
yo: empezaría
The conditional of empezar is regular: empezaría, empezarías, empezaría, empezaríamos, empezaríais, empezarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: empiece
The present subjunctive of empezar features both a stem change (ie) and a spelling change (z to c).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: empezara
The imperfect subjunctive of empezar is based on the 3rd person plural preterite: empezara, empezaras, empezara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: empieza
The imperative uses 'empieza' for informal commands and 'empiece' for formal ones.
Negative Imperative
yo: no empieces
Negative commands for empezar always use the present subjunctive forms: no empieces, no empiece, no empecemos.