Inklingo
Dictionary

comienzan

koh-mee-EHN-sahnkoˈmjensan

“comienzan” means “they begin” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

they beginA1Verb

initiating an activity

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they are starting toB1Verb

initiating a gradual state or emotion

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they begin, they startAlso: you begin, you start

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing e → ie) ar
Three cartoon runners standing at a brightly colored starting line, poised to sprint forward, indicating the initiation of an activity.
past Participlecomenzado
infinitivecomenzar
gerundcomenzando

📝 In Action

Los partidos de fútbol comienzan a las siete de la noche.

A1

The soccer games start at seven in the evening.

Ellos comienzan un nuevo proyecto la próxima semana.

A2

They are starting a new project next week.

Ustedes siempre comienzan el trabajo con mucha energía.

A2

You (plural formal) always begin the work with a lot of energy.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • comenzar el día – to start the day
  • comenzar la escuela – to start school

they are starting to, they begin to feel/seem

VerbB1irregular (stem-changing e → ie) ar
A close-up view of several tiny green sprouts emerging from dark brown soil, showing the initial stage of growth.
past Participlecomenzado
infinitivecomenzar
gerundcomenzando

📝 In Action

Comienzan a sentirse incómodos con la situación.

B1

They are starting to feel uncomfortable with the situation.

Las hojas comienzan a caer en otoño.

B2

The leaves are starting to fall in autumn.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • comenzar a llover – to start raining

Indicative

Imperfect

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

Present

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

Preterite

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

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yocomenzara/comenzase
túcomenzaras/comenzases
él/ella/ustedcomenzara/comenzase
nosotroscomenzáramos/comenzásemos
vosotroscomenzarais/comenzaseis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomenzaran/comenzasen

Present Subjunctive

yocomience
túcomiences
él/ella/ustedcomience
nosotroscomencemos
vosotroscomencéis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomiencen
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Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "comienzan" in Spanish:

they beginthey startyou beginyou start

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: comienzan

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'comienzan' to mean 'The children start reading'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
comienzo(start, beginning (noun)) — Noun
comenzar(to begin (infinitive)) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes
avanzanalcanzan
📚 Etymology

The verb 'comenzar' comes from the Vulgar Latin *cominitiare*, which is a combination of the prefix *com-* (meaning 'together' or 'with') and *initiare* (to begin). This connection shows that starting something often involves joining forces or moving forward from a shared point.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: começarFrench: commencer

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'comenzar' or 'empezar' more common?

Both mean 'to start' and are completely interchangeable in most situations. 'Comenzar' is slightly more formal, but both are used constantly in everyday conversation.

Why does the spelling change from 'comenzar' to 'comienzan'?

The verb 'comenzar' is a 'boot verb' or 'stem-changing verb.' In the present tense, the vowel 'e' in the middle of the verb changes to 'ie' in all forms except for 'nosotros' (we) and 'vosotros' (you plural informal).