empezaron
em-peh-SAH-ron
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Los niños empezaron a gritar cuando vieron el pastel.
A1The children started shouting when they saw the cake.
Ellas empezaron el proyecto la semana pasada y ya casi terminan.
A2They began the project last week and are almost done.
¿A qué hora empezaron ustedes la reunión?
A2What time did you (plural, formal) start the meeting?
💡 Grammar Points
The Past Action Form (Preterite)
Use 'empezaron' to talk about a starting action that happened once and is fully finished in the past. Think of it like a specific kickoff moment.
Action Linker 'a'
To say that a group 'started to do' something, you must place the preposition 'a' after 'empezaron': 'Empezaron a correr' (They started to run).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: "Using 'empezaban' when you mean a single, completed start."
Correction: Use 'empezaron' (preterite) for a specific start time, like 'The games started at eight.' Use 'empezaban' (imperfect) to talk about habitual starting or setting the scene, like 'They used to start late.'
Missing the 'a'
Mistake: "Empezaron correr."
Correction: Empezaron **a** correr. Always add 'a' before the next verb when 'empezar' means 'to start doing something'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Definite Starts
If you can put a time stamp on the moment they started (e.g., 'yesterday,' 'at 5 PM,' 'when the bell rang'), 'empezaron' is the correct choice.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: empezaron
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'empezaron' to describe a completed action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'empezaron' and 'comenzaron'?
They are perfect synonyms! Both mean 'they started' or 'they began' in the past. 'Empezaron' is generally more common in everyday spoken Spanish.
Why does the base verb 'empezar' change its spelling in the present tense but not in 'empezaron'?
The verb 'empezar' has a vowel change (E changes to IE) in the present tense (e.g., *empiezo*). However, this specific change only happens in the present. In the simple past tense ('empezaron'), the original E stays put, making the conjugation look more regular.