empecé
“empecé” means “I started” in Spanish (Initiating an action or activity).
I started, I beganAlso: I set out
📝 In Action
Empecé a aprender a cocinar hace solo dos semanas.
A1I started learning to cook only two weeks ago.
Cuando me mudé, inmediatamente empecé a buscar trabajo.
A2When I moved, I immediately began looking for work.
Empecé con un café, pero la reunión terminó con una cena formal.
B1I started with a coffee, but the meeting ended with a formal dinner.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: empecé
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'empecé'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
The verb 'empezar' comes from the Vulgar Latin word *impetiare*, which likely related to putting the foot forward or undertaking a task. It is related to the older Spanish word 'pezar' (meaning 'to begin').
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (around the 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'empecé' have an accent mark?
The accent mark on 'empecé' is essential because it tells you to stress the last syllable (em-peh-SAY). Without the accent, the stress would naturally fall on the second-to-last syllable, changing the word's sound and meaning.
Is 'empecé' the same as 'comencé'?
Yes, they mean the same thing ('I started' or 'I began') and are interchangeable in most contexts. Both verbs ('empezar' and 'comenzar') follow the same z-to-c spelling change rule in the 'yo' preterite form.