empezaste
“empezaste” means “you started” in Spanish (completed action in the past (informal singular)).
you started
Also: you began
📝 In Action
¿A qué hora empezaste la reunión?
A1What time did you start the meeting?
Empezaste a correr hace un mes, ¿verdad?
A2You started running a month ago, right?
Cuando empezaste a hablar, todos escucharon.
B1When you started talking, everyone listened.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: empezaste
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'empezaste'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the vulgar Latin term *impetiare*, which evolved from the classical Latin *in-pediare*, meaning 'to put the foot in' or 'to trap,' which eventually took on the meaning of 'to undertake' or 'to begin.'
First recorded: Medieval Latin period
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'empezaste' used for formal situations?
No. 'Empezaste' uses the 'tú' form, which is informal (used with friends, family, or children). If you need to speak formally to an adult or superior, you would use 'usted' and say 'empezó'.
Why does the infinitive 'empezar' have an 'e' but the preterite 'empecé' has a 'c' changing to a 'z'?
The base verb *empezar* is spelled with a 'z'. However, in the 'yo' form of the preterite ('empecé'), Spanish spelling rules require the 'z' to change to a 'c' before the letter 'e' to maintain the correct 's' sound. Since 'empezaste' is before an 'a', the 'z' stays.