How to Say "began" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “began” is “empezó” — use 'empezó' for the general act of something starting or beginning, especially for events, actions, or processes that have a clear start time..
empezó
Examples
La reunión empezó a las diez.
The meeting began at ten.
empezaba
/em-peh-SAH-bah//empeˈsaβa/
Examples
Yo empezaba a leer cuando sonó el teléfono.
I was beginning to read when the phone rang.
Yo empezaba a cocinar cuando llegaste.
I was starting to cook when you arrived.
La clase siempre empezaba a las nueve.
The class always used to start at nine.
Ella empezaba su día con un café.
She used to start her day with a coffee.
The 'Two-Way' Word
In this specific form, 'empezaba' can mean both 'I was starting' and 'he/she/it was starting.' You'll need to look at the rest of the sentence to know who is being talked about.
Describing Past Habits
Use this word when you want to describe a starting point that happened repeatedly in the past, like a schedule or a routine.
Confusing 'Started' vs. 'Was Starting'
Mistake: “Using 'empezó' to say 'it was starting for a long time.'”
Correction: Use 'empezaba' for ongoing or repeated actions; use 'empezó' for a one-time, completed start.
Examples
El público entró en silencio al ver al artista.
The audience began to fall silent upon seeing the artist.
General Start vs. Entering a State
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