Inklingo
Dictionary

comencé

koh-men-SAYko.menˈse

“comencé” means “I started” in Spanish (action initiated in the past).

I started, I beganAlso: I set out to

Verb (Conjugated Form)A1regular (-ar) with a spelling change (z > c) in the preterite 'yo' form ar
A close-up illustration of a pair of feet wearing simple shoes, taking the very first step onto a brightly lit path that stretches into the distance. The background is simple and colorful.
infinitivecomenzar
gerundcomenzando
past Participlecomenzado

📝 In Action

Comencé a estudiar español hace tres meses.

A1

I started studying Spanish three months ago.

Ayer, comencé mi nuevo proyecto de trabajo.

A2

Yesterday, I began my new work project.

Cuando vi la lluvia, comencé a correr hacia mi casa.

B1

When I saw the rain, I started running toward my house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • empecé (I started (from empezar))
  • inicié (I initiated)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • comencé a trabajar – I started working
  • comencé la semana – I started the week

Indicative

Present

yocomienzo
túcomienzas
él/ella/ustedcomienza
nosotroscomenzamos
vosotroscomenzáis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomienzan

Imperfect

yocomenzaba
túcomenzabas
él/ella/ustedcomenzaba
nosotroscomenzábamos
vosotroscomenzabais
ellos/ellas/ustedescomenzaban

Preterite

yocomencé
túcomenzaste
él/ella/ustedcomenzó
nosotroscomenzamos
vosotroscomenzasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomenzaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yocomience
túcomiences
él/ella/ustedcomience
nosotroscomencemos
vosotroscomencéis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomiencen

Imperfect Subjunctive

yocomenzara/comenzase
túcomenzaras/comenzases
él/ella/ustedcomenzara/comenzase
nosotroscomenzáramos/comenzásemos
vosotroscomenzarais/comenzaseis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomenzaran/comenzasen
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: comencé

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'comencé'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
comenzar(to start/to begin (infinitive)) — Verb
comienzo(start, beginning) — Noun
comenzado(started (past participle)) — Adjective /
🎵 Rhymes
pasélleguécanté
📚 Etymology

Comenzar comes from the Vulgar Latin *cominitiare, meaning 'to initiate' or 'to start.' It shares roots with the English word 'commence,' highlighting its historical connection to the idea of a formal beginning.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: comeceiFrench: commencer

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'comencé' and 'comenzaba'?

'Comencé' (preterite) means 'I started'—a single action that finished. 'Comenzaba' (imperfect) means 'I used to start' or 'I was starting'—it describes a repeated or ongoing action in the past, or sets the scene for another action.

Can I use 'empecé' instead of 'comencé'?

Yes! 'Empecé' (from 'empezar') means exactly the same thing ('I started') and is often slightly more common in everyday conversation. Both verbs are interchangeable.