comienzan
“comienzan” means “they begin” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
they begin, they start
Also: you begin, you start
📝 In Action
Los partidos de fútbol comienzan a las siete de la noche.
A1The soccer games start at seven in the evening.
Ellos comienzan un nuevo proyecto la próxima semana.
A2They are starting a new project next week.
Ustedes siempre comienzan el trabajo con mucha energía.
A2You (plural formal) always begin the work with a lot of energy.
they are starting to, they begin to feel/seem
📝 In Action
Comienzan a sentirse incómodos con la situación.
B1They are starting to feel uncomfortable with the situation.
Las hojas comienzan a caer en otoño.
B2The leaves are starting to fall in autumn.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
subjunctive
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: comienzan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'comienzan' to mean 'The children start reading'?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 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)
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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).