empezó
em-peh-SOH
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
La película empezó hace cinco minutos.
A1The movie started five minutes ago.
Cuando ella gritó, el bebé empezó a llorar.
A2When she yelled, the baby started to cry.
Usted empezó el proyecto sin esperar la aprobación.
B1You (formal) started the project without waiting for approval.
💡 Grammar Points
Starting an Action
To say that someone or something started doing something, use the pattern: [empezó] + 'a' + [second verb in its base form]. Example: 'Empezó a correr' (He started to run).
Completed Action
This form ('empezó') tells you the starting action was a single, completed moment in the past. If you wanted to describe a state of beginning or a habitual starting time, you would use 'empezaba' (the imperfect tense).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the 'a' after starting
Mistake: "El niño empezó correr."
Correction: El niño empezó a correr. Remember that 'empezar' usually needs the small word 'a' before the next action.
Confusing Tenses
Mistake: "Cuando sonó el timbre, la clase empezaba."
Correction: Cuando sonó el timbre, la clase empezó. Since the start of the class is a single, defined event in the past, use the preterite tense, 'empezó'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Pronunciation Check
Make sure to stress the last syllable: em-pe-SÓ. The accent mark over the 'o' tells you where to put the emphasis.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: empezó
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'empezó' to describe a single action completed in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'empezó' and 'comenzó'?
'Empezó' (from empezar) and 'comenzó' (from comenzar) mean exactly the same thing ('he/she started') and are completely interchangeable in most contexts. 'Empezar' is generally slightly more common in everyday conversation.
Why does 'empezó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is necessary because 'empezó' is a past-tense verb form. The accent ensures that the stress falls on the final 'o,' which is standard for most regular -ar verbs in the third-person preterite.