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empezado

/em-peh-SAH-doh/

started

A small, determined figure standing right at the start of a clearly marked, winding path leading into a colorful landscape, having just taken the first step.

As a past participle, "empezado" translates to "started," indicating that the action of beginning has been completed.

empezado(Verb Form (Past Participle))

A1stem-changing (e>ie) and spelling change in preterite (c>cé) ar

started

?

as part of a compound tense

,

begun

?

as part of a compound tense

Also:

commenced

?

formal, completed action

📝 In Action

Ella ya ha empezado la tarea.

A1

She has already started the homework.

Habíamos empezado a llover cuando llegaste.

B1

It had started raining when you arrived.

Una vez que la película hubo empezado, la sala se oscureció.

C1

Once the movie had begun, the room went dark.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • ha empezado a – has started to (do something)
  • había empezado – had started

💡 Grammar Points

Forming Perfect Tenses

You must always use 'empezado' (the past participle) with a form of the verb 'haber' (to have) to describe actions that have been completed, like 'he empezado' (I have started).

Invariable Form

When 'empezado' is used with 'haber' to form a tense, it is 'invariable'—it always stays 'empezado' and does not change based on the gender or number of the person doing the action.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'Haber' and 'Tener'

Mistake: "Yo tengo empezado."

Correction: Yo he empezado. (In Spanish, use 'haber' for compound verb tenses, not 'tener'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Starting an Action

To specifically say you started doing something, follow 'empezado' with the preposition 'a' and then the infinitive verb: 'Hemos empezado a estudiar' (We have started to study).

A colorful, half-finished sandcastle on a sunny beach, with a small toy shovel resting beside it, signifying a task that is in progress.

When used as an adjective, "empezado" means "started" or "in progress," describing something that is incomplete, like this half-built sandcastle.

empezado(Adjective)

mB1

started

?

in progress, not finished

,

half-finished

?

describing a project or task

Also:

commenced

?

formal description

📝 In Action

Solo tenemos un proyecto empezado.

B1

We only have one started (or half-finished) project.

La comida estaba empezada cuando llegaron los invitados.

B2

The meal was started (already being eaten) when the guests arrived.

Es una obra empezada que nunca terminaremos.

C1

It is a begun work that we will never finish.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • trabajo empezado – started work
  • página empezada – started page

💡 Grammar Points

Agreement with Noun

When 'empezado' acts as an adjective (describing a thing), it must match the gender and number of the thing it describes: 'la tarea empezada' (f. sing.), 'los libros empezados' (m. plural).

Using Ser vs. Estar

When describing the state of something as 'started' (a temporary condition), use 'estar': 'La construcción está empezada' (The construction is started).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: empezado

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'empezado' as a compound verb form?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'empezado' and 'comenzado'?

Both mean 'started' or 'begun' and are interchangeable in most contexts. 'Empezar' is generally more common in everyday spoken Spanish, while 'comenzar' can sound slightly more formal, but both are used frequently.

Why does the root verb 'empezar' sometimes change its spelling to 'empiezo'?

The base verb 'empezar' is a stem-changing verb. The 'e' in the stem changes to 'ie' whenever the stress falls on that syllable. This happens in the present tense (like 'yo empiezo') and the present subjunctive.