How to Say "you began" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “you began” is “empezaste” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
¿A qué hora empezaste la reunión?
What time did you start the meeting?
Empezaste a correr hace un mes, ¿verdad?
You started running a month ago, right?
Cuando empezaste a hablar, todos escucharon.
When you started talking, everyone listened.
Action Completed in the Past
This form ('empezaste') tells us that the action of starting was finished at a specific point in the past. It's the simple past tense, used for single, completed events.
Using 'A' before the next verb
When you start doing something, you must use the little word 'a' right after 'empezar': 'Empezaste a estudiar' (You started to study).
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: “Using 'empezabas' when talking about a specific start time, e.g., 'Ayer, empezabas a llover.'”
Correction: Use 'empezaste' (Ayer, empezó a llover). 'Empezabas' (Imperfect) describes an ongoing state or a repeated action in the past, not a single, sharp beginning.
Related Translations
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