How to Say "commence" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “commence” is “empiece” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Quiero que mi hijo empiece la escuela en septiembre.
I want my son to start school in September.
¡Empiece usted el discurso ahora, por favor!
Please, start the speech now!
Dudo que ella empiece a trabajar tan pronto.
I doubt that she starts working so soon.
The Subjunctive Mood
This form ('empiece') is part of the special verb set (the Subjunctive) used when you talk about wishes, doubts, emotions, or when commanding someone formally (usted).
Formal Commands
When you give a formal instruction to 'usted' (the polite 'you'), you use 'empiece' for starting an action: '¡Empiece a leer!' (Start reading!).
Stem Change E → IE
The base verb 'empezar' changes the 'e' in its stem to 'ie' in most present tense forms, including 'empiece'. Remember this vowel shift!
Missing the Stem Change
Mistake: “Using *empece* instead of *empiece*.”
Correction: The correct form is *empiece*. The 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie' to keep the sound consistent with the infinitive's structure in these forms.
Confusing Subjunctive vs. Indicative
Mistake: “Saying 'Quiero que él empieza' (using the normal verb form).”
Correction: After verbs like 'querer' (to want), Spanish requires the special form: 'Quiero que él empiece'.
Related Translations
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